


Alliges Duplicia: Bound

by Anonymous



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alliges Duplicia: Bound, Bound, Drarry, Drarrython, Glued, Harry Potter - Freeform, M/M, draco x harry - Freeform, harry x draco - Freeform, stuck together
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-27
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2019-11-06 06:17:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 88,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17934419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Harry and Draco both go back to Hogwarts for the 8th year. Harry goes because he skipped his 7th year, and Draco goes because he failed his.The get stuck working together on a Potion’s project because they both skipped the same class in which pairs were chosen. Due to the clumsiness of another student, their brilliant work turns into a disaster when, somehow, their magical energies get bonded together, which forces them to stay in close proximity to each other.This isn’t a permanent situation, but it will take quite a bit of time for the proper officials to figure out how to unbind them, seeing as this type of instance is extremely rare. Somewhere along the way, Draco bonds with Harry in a different way. Enemies become friends, and friends become something more.I'm a huge sucker for fluff, so there will be plenty of that coming your way!Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.http://talesfromanuntoldstory.tumblr.com/





	1. I Can Help You There

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Glued](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/460112) by Vendelin. 



It was true what people said. Hogwarts would never be the same. 

He didn’t want to believe them, but he had been staring at the newly remodeled castle from his seat on the train for the last five minutes, and he finally was forced to accept that it was true. Suddenly, all his memories of the aftermath of the war flooded through his mind. 

\---The trials had dragged on for months. More and more people were brought in to give testimonies, and Draco Malfoy was not excluded in all of this. Since he’d willingly given himself up to the Ministry, his trail was among the first. He spent several grueling hours in the Trial Chamber listening to people talk for him and at him. They eventually brought their golden boy, Potter, in to testify in Draco’s favor for reasons he didn’t care to know, and even his testimony wasn’t enough to clear Draco of the charges laid against him. It was only when he was forced to speak up for himself that any progress was made. Telling his story to prove he didn’t deserve Azkaban only worsened the case of his father. The veritaserum was beyond brutal, and by the time he was finished, he’d let loose enough information to keep his father and many others in prison for several lifetimes. He had successfully outcasted himself from two wizarding communities, which effectively alienated him in society.  
After days of deliberation, the Ministry officials acquitted of all charges that were in place. The last thing he remembered about his trial was making eye contact with Potter and nodding his head in a silent “thank you” to the boy. He didn’t expect anything in return, but he felt like he needed to that much because the had just helped save Draco from a life in Azkaban. However, Harry nodded back at him, taking Draco off guard. The nod wasn’t a “you’re welcome” nod. It was more of a “No, thank you” nod, and Draco didn’t really understand that. Maybe he had read it wrong, but because he had studied Potter and his actions for several years now, he knew the other boy’s face like he knew his own reflection. How else would he have been able to identify him in the manor when Voldemort had asked? There was no way he had mistaken it…. But why would Potter be thanking him after everything that happened?  
He shrugged away the thought as his mother pulled him out of the chamber and disapparated home with him in tow.  
Summer came and went, and soon it was time to pack for school. His mother always helped him with the honours because she apparently thought him incapable of doing so. He sighed deeply as she raided his wardrobes and chests. He found her actions more annoying than anything, but he was happy to have her around. His father would be spending the rest of his days in Azkaban for his actions during the war, and this hurt Draco very deeply. For so long he strived to gain the approval of his father, and without the man’s presence, he’d been forced to learn to live a new way. Well, he was still trying to figure that out anyway. --- 

He studied the castle as it was becoming clearer and clearer the closer they came to it. It seemed smaller in a way, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly why. The structure was rebuilt to look exactly as it did before. He wondered if everything about the interior would be the same as well. Of course, the atmosphere would be different with McGonagall as the Headmistress, and the variety of new teachers, but he hoped it still felt like home when he arrived. He wondered about the annoying little quirks in the school and if some of them would still be there. Would the staircases still change? Would the secret passages exist? .. the Chamber of Secrets?... Peeves? What about the room of requirement? Would it have survived like Draco?  
The train came to a stop, shaking him out of his thoughts. Draco gathered his belongings and made his way through the slim aisle to the exit, ignoring the sneers and looks of bewilderment people gave him through the windows as he passed them. Outside the train, the thestrals waited to drive them up to the opulent castle. It was a trip he had taken many times in his life, but it was different now. He could no longer hold his head high with pride as he had done so often before. There would be no joking around with friends or picking on some poor first year. He knew that he was taking a great risk in coming back to Hogwarts for his eighth year, but there was simply no other path for him to take since he needed to rebuild his status in society. Since he was focused on other things during his 7th year in school, he had neglected his studies, and now this was his only option. He also didn’t really know what else he could do to occupy his time. There was no way that he was going to follow his father’s footsteps at the Ministry, and now he was left to figure out things on his own. He suddenly felt like he knew what it was like to be average. The thought sent a shiver up his spine and sent a foul taste through his mouth.  
Suddenly, Draco was pulled from his thoughts when the thestral pulled up to the gates. He waited until all the other students found their belongings and headed for the castle before he got up from his seat. He got down from the carriage, and walked slowly over to the few remaining, unclaimed trunks to find his and then make his way to the dungeons…. or would that still be where he will stayed? He wondered then how 8th-year students would spend their time at Hogwarts? Would they still be in their respective houses? Would they remain in their common rooms? There were an uncomfortable amount of questions and thoughts that entered his brain just then that he didn’t notice the one other student who had waited until the crowd cleared to gather their things.  
The first thing that caught Draco’s attention was the reflection of light on his hand. He looked up and noticed the setting sun was reflecting off of a pair of glasses. He dropped the luggage he was picking up, causing a pair of absurdly green eyes to perk up and look his direction.

Draco’s heart stopped. Seeing Potter again after everything that had gone down between them in the past was like having a boulder placed on his chest. He exhaled after a moment, not realizing he had forgotten to breathe. He hastily looked away and started gathering his things again.

“You know, if you didn’t pack the entire manor, you wouldn’t have as much trouble carrying your stuff.” The comment wasn’t said in malice, but it wasn’t exactly friendly either.

He didn’t dignify Potter with a response. Instead, he scoffed and started gathering everything he’d dropped. How was he supposed to face Potter again after everything?… He turned his body to avoid the boy’s gaze, not knowing how to behave in this situation.

Potter picked up his one bag and handed his trunk off to Filtch who had been furiously working to get all the students’ trunks to their proper places in the castle.

Draco did the same, but he still had several other pieces of luggage to carry in himself since Filtch refused to handle any “extra and unnecessary” luggage, and he didn’t feel like arguing with the man. He didn’t take into account that he would have the help of this mother once he got on the train, but not when he got off. He had managed to get his belongings through the front doors on his own, but there was no way he could manage the stairs with that amount of stuff. There were simply too many things to carry, and he was going to have to make a second trip. He sat down half of his things and began walking toward the doors. He would be late for dinner, but that didn’t bother him because he’d faced enough sneering already on the train. 

Potter must not have been far behind him because the doors flew open once more, and their eyes met again. This time, the green eyes met his through a mass of dark, shaggy, wind-blown hair. 

Five words was all it took for the memories to come flooding back. It was the same five words that started all of this nonsense and hearing those words flowing smoothly from thin lips was all it took for him to feel like he was 11 years old again attending Hogwarts for the first time. Now he was left standing in the foyer unable to move while the speaker of the dreaded words bounced jauntily up the grand staircase. Draco hadn’t the slightest clue as to if Potter knew what he was doing when he spoke at that moment, if he had meant for Draco to have the reaction he did, yet there he was paralyzed with emotions he thought had long passed. Even now, after all these years, he still hoped for Potter’s approval and friendship.  
Who was he kidding? There was no way that Potter would ever allow it. He’d always made himself abundantly clear where they stood with each other. He shrugged the feelings away realizing that he was causing a bit of a hold-up in the foyer. Several other students were trying to get through to the great hall but stopped to gawk at him as he stood there staring at what appeared to be nothing. “Great…. Now, apparently, I’m evil and crazy,” he thought to himself. He bent down to grab his luggage and noticed then that it had all shrunken in size dramatically. He cursed Potter under his breath at that moment. Even when he was trying to be helpful, he couldn’t keep himself for making Draco’s life miserable. There was no way he could get all his clothes fitting properly again, no matter how good he was at transfiguration. Custom made, muggle clothing had become one of his new favourite things, and he’d gotten a whole new wardrobe full of it. He hated shrinking charms… and now he hated Potter more for thinking that he wasn’t capable of casting one himself. 

Potter reappeared moments later with the Weasel, and Draco just ignored them. The words, “I can help you there” still replaying themselves over and over in his mind as both his own 11-year old voice and Potter ’s 18- year old voice. It would seem they’d finally come full circle. But would they keep going round-and-round, or would they leave the circle to find a new path?

Draco didn’t know if he was ready to find out if a new path was even an option or not, so he just left things like they were.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

The dungeons were seemingly unaffected by the battle, and Draco found that rather comforting. The looks, smells, and the atmosphere felt like home, and this was the first time he’d been able to relax since leaving the manor. He knew he should go to dinner, but he wasn’t ready to face it all just yet. Instead, he elected to sit by the fireplace in the common room where he laid his head down to rest for a second but was awakened sometime later as the other Slytherins made their way back to their dorms after dinner.  
Draco knew he wouldn’t have much company this year at Hogwarts seeing as most of his friends either finished their time there, elected to not re-do their 7th year, or were claimed by the war, so the fact that the students entering the common room either ignored him entirely or glared at him didn’t shock him at all.  
A group of first years, who likely didn’t know who he was or recognize him, disturbed his peace by sitting next to him on the sofas, forcing him to get up and make his way to his bed. When he got there, he found the still-shrunken luggage waiting there where he had abandoned it earlier. He began attempting to restore his things back to their normal sizes and hoped his clothes would still fit properly when he wore them next. Although he didn’t know how muggle clothing would react to magic. He cursed Potter again internally.  
By the time he was finished, other students were entering the dorm. He wasn’t in the mood to be bothered, so he skipped his bedtime routine, closed the curtains around him, and he fell asleep almost immediately after laying his head on his pillow. He didn’t even bother pulling back the duvet. His mother would have scolded him for not at least washing his face before bed, but that made being at Hogwarts all the more comfortable to Draco.


	2. A Disturbance in the Library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco receives some disturbing news from an unlikely source.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.

Draco got into the routine of school again and did his best to keep a low profile. McGonagall made sure to check up on his well-being every now and then, even if her doing so annoyed Draco to no end. But as time passed, Draco’s suspicion that he was being constantly watched grew immensely. It seemed every move he made he was being observed by someone, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t find the source of his suspicion. Eventually, he just summed it up to a case of strange and unwarranted paranoia and pushed the unnerving thought of being watched to the back of his mind. After all, he no longer had anything to hide. Everyone was now well aware of all his ‘dirty laundry,’ and if someone was watching him constantly, they were getting a very boring show. 

During the evenings, Draco could find comfort in the common room when all others had gone to sleep, but during the day, he felt most comfortable hiding away in the library. Truth be told, Draco loved the smell of old books, the way the light shone in through the windows, the sound of pages turning, and the sounds of quills scratching on parchment. He loved the quietness and seclusion. The seemingly endless stacks were like a maze in a way. Every day, he would make his way to the back of the stacks and settle down there. He had transfigured a desk chair into a giant bean bag where he would relax and read underneath a window that faced the lake. It was very serene. 

Anyone who came upon him would see how the light reflected off his hair, unveiling several different shades of gold and blond. They would have seen the serenity in his face, which was a great change from the tense expression it usually held when out in the public eye. They would notice his discarded outer robes and the hem of his trousers riding up to expose his ankles as he made himself comfortable in the bean bag. They’d see his eyes moving as he scanned the pages of his precious books and how he bit the corner of his bottom lip when he found something particularly interesting in his reading. They’d get to see his left eyebrow raise ever so slightly as his eyes brightened when he found something amusing. His hand would raise to his mouth and he would bite his nails (to his mother’s dismay) when he was completely and utterly fascinated. And every now and then on rare occasions, they’d get to see the corner of his mouth curl upwards when he’d gotten too enthralled in his reading and let loose a smile. 

But Draco had made it a point to hide himself so far away from others that no one would ever get to see those things about him…. or so he thought. 

The sound of someone clearing their throat shook Draco’s thoughts out of the world of the text he was reading and back to reality. It startled him a bit, to be honest, but to the untrained eye, his reaction was very composed. He looked up and his breath hitched as soon as he saw who’d interrupted him.

“You know, there are more comfortable places in the castle than this to read. There are even places where you can read in the company of others” a very intrigued Granger said to him, poking his beautifully transfigured bean bag with her foot. “Nice work on that, by the way.” He gave her a sharp look and calmly returned his gaze to his book, hoping she would take the hint and walk away. It was extremely bold of her to approach him in the first place.  
When she didn’t leave, he found that he could no longer hold his tongue. Without looking up, he replied, “And who in their right mind would accept the company of an ex-Death Eater? No, thanks… I’ll stay here.” He turned the page, even though he had ceased reading ever since she made her presence known.

“Suit yourself,” she said as she turned and walked away. Draco thought that was the end of their little chat, but suddenly he heard a chair being dragged across the floor toward his direction. He felt his eyes roll as he closed his book, tipped his head back, and rested it against the wall, preparing himself mentally for this uncomfortable conversation that was sure to follow. 

He heard the screeching noise stop and the small sound Hermione made as she sat in the chair she’d brought over. With his head still resting on the wall behind him, he said to her, “Why are you bothering me, Granger?”

She didn’t respond right away, so Draco moved his head slightly and peeked over to see that her mouth was hanging slightly open as if she’d forgotten how unfriendly he really was. She shook herself out of her thoughts seconds later. “Why aren’t you bothering anyone?” she replied curtly. 

He glared at her, and she quirked an eyebrow at him in return. He shut his book and sat up, knowing that he wasn’t going to get much reading done that night, and he couldn’t get up and leave because she’d blocked his exit. Suddenly, many of the hexes he'd learned throughout the years popped back into his mind, but he refrained from using them. He didn’t need any more bad press than he’d already received in his short life. Instead, he made a gesture to get to her to continue onto her point of being there, disturbing him. 

“What I meant was why do you coop yourself up in here all the time?” Her tone was much friendlier with this question. 

“What’s it to you, Granger? What do you care what I do with my time?” He desperately wanted to avoid eye contact with her because he knew she was calling him out for hiding, but he held his gaze, refusing to back down from this small battle.

Thankfully, she turned her head towards the window before replying, “You’re right. I don’t care, but your gloomy aura is really getting to me. I love coming to the library, but not with you here destroying the pleasant atmosphere.” She gave him a pointed look and returned her gaze to the window. 

“You’ve been watching me?... Why?” The question came out before he could stop it. 

She sighed, “Look, I haven’t been doing it on purpose. I just spend a lot of time in the library, and so apparently do you.” She looked him up and down in a condescending manner and continued, “You really should get out more.” 

The off-hand comment really struck a nerve with Draco. And of course, she would be the only person to venture this far back into the stacks on a regular basis. “By that standard, so should you… and I’ll do whatever I damn well please, so you can just mind your own business instead of nosing yourself into mine.” His frustration level was rising rapidly.  
She threw her hands up in surrender and leaned forward as if she were about to get up, but then she paused. To Draco’s dismay, she added, “Before I go, I just thought you should know what you missed in potions today.” 

Draco quirked up one eyebrow at this as a silent question. He’d purposefully skipped potions that day and many others. He couldn’t take listening to that great oaf drone on about the specifics of the various magical binding-related potions they were studying. He’d mastered the binding potions during 4th year when he was intent on giving fake dark marks to Crabbe and Goyle during their sleep to scare them, so he couldn’t be bothered to listen through the redundant lectures. That prank did not age very well at all he thought, and he rubbed his real dark mark under his loosened shirt sleeve as he recalled the memory. Binding things like parchment, clothing, and various other materials together using a simple potion seemed tremendously dull in comparison.

Draco withdrew his hand from his mark when he caught Granger staring at it. Giving it a side glance and then quickly looking back to his face, she replied, “We’ve moved on from standard binding potions to mixing them with charms. As you know, this isn’t a particularly easy task.” She paused and bit her bottom lip, which spiked Draco’s curiosity because there was something she was hesitant to tell him. He sat up more and wrapped his arms around one knee still staring up at her. 

“And?...” His annoyed tone awarded a sneer from the curly-haired brunette and she gripped the back of the chair tighter before responding. ‘Good. This conversation is just as uncomfortable for her as it is for me,’ he thought. 

“Well, since it is quite difficult, Professor Slughorn has placed us in pairs.” She paused again and turned away from him slightly while grabbing her bottom lip with her teeth once again.”  
Draco sighed deeply in frustration. “Get on with it, Granger. What is it that I need to know?”

“You’ve been partnered with Harry for the remainder of this unit...” She blurted out the statement so quickly that Draco had to replay it in his mind to comprehend. She backed away quickly as if she feared a hex was headed her way. If Draco hadn’t been so shocked, he might have set one. 

After taking a moment to collect his thought, he realized this must be a big joke. No teacher in their right mind would pair the saviour of the wizarding world to an actual Death Eater. “What are you playing at, Granger? Just walk away and bother someone else with your nonsense.” He let go of his knee, picked his book back up, and looked back up at her, ready to tell her off for bothering him. But the concerned look she gave him in return proved to Draco that this wasn’t anything close to a joke. His stomach felt like it had just dropped to the floor. 

“Slughorn's lost his damn mind” was all he could think to say, and he slammed his book into the bean bag behind himself and he sat up straighter. “Why didn’t anyone stop him? What could he possibly…”

“Actually… it wasn’t his fault” she cut him off and resumed her previous nervous posture. 

“Excuse me? Not his fault? Then who the bloody hell’s fault is it then?” He awkwardly got up out of the bean bag, stood up, and furiously raked his fingers through his hair as he paced in front of the window. Granger had to take a step back to avoid his sharp movements.

The fact that he was acting utterly and visibly distressed-- in front of Granger none-the-less --completely slipped his mind for a moment, but he composed himself after this short lapse and gripped the windowsill to steady himself as he processed this new information. It was all too much to handle. 

Granger folded her arms across her chest, looking irritated. “As it turns out, you two were paired together because you’ve both got a habit of skipping his class. When you’re not there to be paired with someone else who is there, you get paired with whoever is left.” Her snooty tone and posture irked Draco so intensely that he grabbed his belongings, shoved past her without looking her in the eye, and headed for his common room.

He turned back to look at her and make a quick retort, expecting to see a smug look on her face but was instead met by the same concerned one. Not wanting to accept her pity, he opened his mouth to say something, but when the words didn’t come, he scoffed, turned, and quickly made his way to the dungeons. 

When he arrived in the common room, he drew several looks from other students who were sure to have heard the news by now because what could be more newsworthy that their famous saviour being paired up with an ex-Death Eater for a potions project? Who needs The Daily Prophet when there are a bunch of gossiping teenagers around to spread the news? He sighed angrily and went to bed, making sure to draw the bed curtains closed around himself.


	3. Meet Me at the Quidditch Pitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco receives an anonymous message that puts him in an interesting situation.

Several hours later, Draco awoke to the feeling of something sharp pressing into his cheek over and over again. He brushed it off, but like a bird, it came directly back and started poking him again. Fearing it was a prank from one of the other Slytherins now, he quickly sat up to investigate his surroundings. 

He mentally cast two spells in that instant, Lumos and Tempus. The time was around half 4 in the morning, and the glow from his wand revealed a charmed paper airplane commonly used to send messages. He exhaled in relief after the discovery. However, he couldn’t think of who would send him a message, especially so early in the morning. The Ministry was known to use these all the time, and for a second time in twenty-four hours, his stomach hit the floor. 

Preparing for the worst, he opened it to see a single sentence: Meet me at the Quidditch pitch. A second wave of relief hit him just then. Still, the message wasn’t signed, and he began raking his mind, trying to figure out who would want to meet him at such an unreasonable hour.

Suddenly, the events of the previous day came rushing back to him, and it dawned on him who had sent the note. “Potter” he murmured under his breath. He threw his head back down on his pillow, sighed, and stared up at the ceiling for a moment before finally sneaking out of bed. He tiptoed past several snoring Slytherins and nearly tripped over a cloak some barbaric seventh year left laying in the walkway. He hexed the boy with blue hair for his troubles. 

The communal lavatories were tolerable for students, but Draco dearly missed his private one at the manor. He stared at himself in one of the mirrors and noticed his hair was getting long. The blond waves almost touched his shoulders. He’d been meaning to shorten it for a while because he didn’t want people having another reason to compare him to his father, but he actually liked the way this longer hair made him look. His father did have a keen fashion sense, even if all other aspects were lacking. 

His grey eyes peered back at him in his reflection as he studied himself. His jawline had thickened, his shoulders broadened, and he’d gotten quite a bit taller since the previous year. To anyone else, he would appear quite handsome, even in a sleepy state, but all Draco saw when he looked at himself was the disappointment he’d become. He was a disappointment to his family, an even bigger disappointment to the wizarding world, and the biggest disappointment to himself. Shaking the thoughts away, he quickly prepared himself for the day. He pulled on his trousers that were still a bit too short, even after resizing everything that had been shrunken in his luggage. He quickly lengthened them and threw on a shirt that hugged him a bit too tightly, but he left that alone for now. 

He headed toward the pitch and eventually saw Potter flying high above him, practicing various moves the Gryffindor team had added to their game strategy. He found himself admiring Potter’s finesse as he weaved in and out of the ring, but he shut down that train of thought when he realized what he was doing.  
He looked over to his left and saw a broom hovering just a few feet from the ground and assumed it was meant for him. ‘How presumptuous ’ he thought to himself, but he still grabbed the broom and mounted it. 

Instead of flying directly over to Potter to make him aware of his presence, he decided to roam around a bit in the air and admire the rising sun as it’s orange glow made the lake look like liquid fire. He paused for a moment to take in the beautiful sight.

Moments later, he heard Potter pull up beside him, but he refused to acknowledge him. He would force Potter to speak first, seeing as it was his brilliant idea to meet at this absurd hour. 

But he didn’t speak. 

Not for a while anyway. 

They both just hovered there for several minutes, watching as the sun rose higher and higher in the sky. 

After what seemed like forever, Draco gave in and opened his mouth to break the uncomfortable silence. Just then, Potter blurted out, “So I was thinking about our potions project…”  
Draco laughed at the blunt statement and added, “Good job, Potter. I didn’t think you were capable of thinking.” He cursed himself internally for resorting to such pettiness, especially when Potter seemed to be acting mature in this situation.

“Draco, this is serious. We don’t have a choice in this matter, and I need an ‘O’ in potions this year.” The comment was made in utter sincerity, and it took Draco aback for a moment. Also, had Potter really just called him Draco?

“Don’t be silly, Potter. You wouldn’t make a habit of skipping if you truly needed an ‘O,’ and the only reason you’d need an ‘O’ in potions is if you were planning on becoming an Alchemist or a Healer, and I don’t think you’re fit for either.” Potter’s exasperated look stunned Draco, and he cursed himself again for the petulant comment, which apparently hit Potter pretty hard because he shook his head and began descending toward the exit. 

“C’mon, Potter! It was only a joke” he responded, not willing to admit how immature he was being. Although, he didn’t know why he felt bad for hurting Potter’s feelings. When Potter didn’t acknowledge him, he tried again. “Potter, what is it you dragged me all the way down here for anyway?” 

Suddenly, Potter made a beeline over to Draco and stopped directly in front of him, inches away from his face. “Oh, now I dragged you down here? That’s rich!” He paused for a moment and then added, “You’re the one who sent me a paper airplane telling me to meet you here!” 

Draco moved back a few feet to get away from Potter’s accusatory position. “What are you talki---” The realization of what was happening suddenly hit him. He scowled and uttered, “Granger ” just loud enough for Potter to hear. But before he could respond, Draco bypassed him on his broom and went rushing toward the exit, ready for a confrontation with Granger.  
Just then, Draco’s broom hit an invisible speed bump Potter must have wandlessly cast in an obvious attempt to show off, causing him to tumble to the ground. He got up hastily and started brushing himself off. “What the fuck is your problem, Potter!”

“Me? What is MY problem?... Fuck you, Draco!” He dismounted his broom, hit Draco with his shoulder as he passed, and made his way to the locker rooms.  
Draco sighed and rubbed his temples. How was it that Potter could have him reverting to his 11-year old self? After a few moments, he realized that he should probably let Potter in on his own friend’s underhanded scheme to get them in one space together to chat. He took a deep breath and went to find the insufferable boy. 

When he did find him, Potter was sitting on the edge of a bench, removing his Quidditch pads from his shins. He looked up as he heard Draco enter the room, and turned away immediately afterward. Even in the dim lighting, Draco could see just how green Potter’s eyes really were and this stopped him in his tracks for a brief moment before he collected himself again and prepared to speak.

“Potter, you really need to get better friends.” He didn’t mean for that to be an insult, but he understood why Harry reacted as if it were one. He meant to say, “Potter, you really need to keep better track of your friends,” but he couldn’t take back what had already been said, so he ran with it.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he retorted as he stood up angrily. 

“Your little know-it-all friend set this all up, and believe me, we’ll be exchanging a few words.” He couldn’t believe it, but he found himself smiling at how beautiful her scheme played out because even he, the king of mischievous schemes, didn’t figure it out. She’s a clever one; he’d give her that much. He took a seat at the other end of the bench and prepared himself for the conversation they were about to have. 

Potter sat back down as the reality of the situation dawned on him. “Hermione, eh? So I guess she also sent you a paper airplane?... She’s clever, that one.” He smiled and looked down at his feet. 

Stunned that Potter had actually figured it out, he responded, “I can’t deny it, but I also hate that about her. She’s quite annoying really.” He raked his hand through his hair and cast a sideways glance at Potter to see his reaction. 

Seeing Potter actually laugh made something inside Draco’s stomach flutter. He’d rarely seen the golden boy truly smile, let alone laugh. He’d never admit it, but he thought Potter looked quite good when he smiled. The other boy turned to look at Draco and Draco could still see a bit of amusement in his eyes. He cleared his throat and continued, “Anyway, this project…. There is no way Slughorn will have mercy on us and let us switch partners, so I guess we’re stuck together for the next couple of weeks.” He looked down at his fidgeting hands, waiting for a reply. 

“Guess so” Potter responded, still looking at the ground and wringing his hands together. 

Draco scoffed at the response, remembering at the same time that Potter was not a master of words, so he knew he’d be the one driving this conversation. “Yeah, so maybe the best way to approach this is to separate roles, so we only have to spend limited time together and all that.” The thought came out as more of a question than he intended it to.

“We could do that…” he said still in the same position.

Potter’s tone was indifferent, but Draco felt like there was something he wasn’t saying. Potter’s non-responses were really starting to irk him at this point. 

“Is there something you’d like to add?” he said sounding annoyed as he moved his head in an attempt to get Potter to look at him. 

“No…..” Potter said quickly, but then added, “well…”

“Well, what?” Draco said irritably. 

“Well, you know I’m shite at potions, so if we are going to do well, I was kind of thinking that maybe we should actually be real partners in all this.” He finally looked up at Draco, his eyes revealing his expectation of a curt retort. 

Thinking about it for a bit and then not giving into Potter’s expectations, Draco responded with, “I can’t really afford anything less than an ‘O’ either, so I guess we will have to.” The sigh of relief coming from the other boy was doing nothing to help the fluttering sensation still going on in his abdomen. “However… I don’t want other students nosing their way into our business.  
Meet me in the library after classes, and we can work in private there.” He got up to leave, assuming the conversation was over, but Potter quickly stopped him.

“Draco, wait,” he said calmly. Draco turned, crossed his arms elegantly, and replied, “Yes, Potter?” 

Potter wrung his hands together nervously, looked at him and sighed heavily, “Nevermind,” and he turned hastily and walked away in the other direction. Draco scoffed at this and headed back to his dorm to get ready for classes, not even attempting to figure out what that was all about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know things are moving rather slowly, but I often feel the build-up is the best part of a story. Also, the air between these boys needs to be cleared, and Draco's mean and snobbish ways wouldn't just disappear overnight. Harry is going to have to work pretty hard to break him, and Draco is going to have to allow Harry to get close to him. This is going to take some time. 
> 
> It seems I'm figuring out this story as I write it, and I'm enjoying it so far. I hope you are as well. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.


	4. A Mishap in Potions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A perfectly brewed potion, a permanent binding spell, and the clumsiness of another student don't mix.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is more action in this chapter! This is where the story starts taking off, and I'm excited to see how it turns out. This story is writing itself, and I'm just the being that types out the words. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.

Draco didn’t hate herbology, but he definitely held animosity towards Professor Sprout. He didn’t really have a reason for this other than her annoying habit of being terribly unorganized and erratic. He very much appreciated order and structure, which was something Sprout heavily lacked. He usually left her class tense and stressed, partly for these reasons and partly because people couldn’t seem to keep their judgmental eyes off of him while he was in there with them. He even saw Professor Sprout give him looks on occasion, and that really bothered him.

Their current lesson, Fungi and its Uses in Medicine, was incredibly fascinating to Draco, but he found he couldn’t concentrate on the material whilst inside the hoarding house they had the nerve to call a greenhouse. He was supposed to be scraping the fungi off of a piece of bark from the whomping willow and mixing it into a solution that would turn into a mild sedative, but he was standing opposite of the Weasel and his sister and kept getting distracted by their constant sideways glances. The fluorescent orange fungus was very rambunctious and kept skirting away from his scraper, not seeming to want to let loose from its home on the bark, which made Draco even tenser. 

The current eighth years had to share classes with the 7th years because that made the most economic sense, but Draco loathed seeing the two red-haired ninnies every day in class who seemed to be more interested in him than what they were supposed to be working on. Of course, they weren’t the only ones who stared, but they were the ones that bugged him the most. 

He’d finally gotten the stubborn fungus to release itself from the bark and was ready to mix it in the solution when Professor Sprout suddenly dismissed class. “Had he really just spent an entire class period scraping fungi?” he thought to himself as he packed up his materials and left them in the designated space until their next meeting. He nearly tripped over several unidentified plants as he made his way to the exit. 

It wasn’t until he was just outside the doors to his next class that he remembered what awaited him on the other side. He paused for a moment before going in but figured there was nothing he could do about the situation so he might as well suck it up and get it over with. He pulled open the door and spotted an empty pair of desks in the back corner of the class, so he made a beeline there. A 7th year was also trying to make her way to the desks, but his famously wicked glare stopped her in her tracks. He watched as she backed away and found herself another pair of desks on the opposite side of the room. If there was anything he was thankful for, it was that he still had that power over people. 

Moments later, as he was skimming through his potions book to catch himself up on what he’d missed in previous classes, he heard the door slam open. He looked up and saw that Potter had apparently been pushed through the doors by Granger, and he could see the look of embarrassment on the boy’s face as he realized the attention was all on him once again. It had taken Draco several years to understand completely that Potter actually didn’t like being in the limelight, and that he’d been wrong to assume so for so long. However, Potter didn’t need to know that he knew that. 

When his eyes met Potter’s, the boy began trudging over toward Draco with his head drooped toward the floor in a fascinating attempt to not be seen, even though he must’ve known everyone was watching him after the ruckus he’d just caused. Draco held back a laugh as he watched the scene take place. He still found a small amount of enjoyment seeing Potter suffer. 

Potter sat beside him-- well, actually, he flopped down beside him, but Draco ignored that-- and he rested his head on the desk while gripping his unruly hair with his hands. 

Draco was finding his humiliation quite amusing but decided not to ‘poke the lion’ too harshly just yet. “Alright, Potter. Calm down. We all know you love being in the spotlight, even if you’re acting like a dunce.” The comment awarded him a glare from the green-eyed boy, but he sat up and began getting his class materials out of his rucksack and setting them on the desk. Their cauldron sat on a pedestal just beyond their desks, and there was already a liquid inside that permeated through the classroom the scent of the air after a light rain. It reminded him of all the times he’d walked grounds on the manor. He could almost feel the damp grass between his toes, hear the ripples of water in the ponds, and smell the flowers in his mother’s gardens. He closed his eyes and pictured himself there, and doing so took away some of the tension that he’d been building up all afternoon.

“Don’t people have better things to do than gawk at us?” The question shook Draco out of his thoughts, and he reluctantly turned to see the very embarrassed and frustrated Potter gripping the sides of his desk fiercely. He looked around, and sure enough, most everyone in the room was casting glances at them any chance they could. He heard the snickers and whispers as the turned away when he caught them looking. However, unlike Potter, Draco was better at hiding his frustration. 

“Come off it, Potter. You know you love the attention” he said it as he began preparing a piece of parchment to take notes, and Potter retaliated by turning over Draco’s ink jar so that the ink covered most of it. He must’ve done it wandlessly because there was no wand to be seen when Draco turned to glare at him.

“Nobody likes a show-off, Potter,” he said as he too wandlessly charmed the spilled ink back into the jar, setting it right again. Potter just shook his head and rolled his eyes while also preparing to take notes. 

Draco found it very difficult to focus on Slughorn’s instructions with Potter so close by his side. He was hyper-aware of the boy’s every move. Because Potter was right-handed and he was left-handed, every time the boy went to dip his quill in his ink jar, his cloak sleeve would brush Draco’s arm, sending a shiver down his spine. Each time Potter sighed, Draco could feel the release of air on his hands. And since the paired desks were built so close together, they found that each time they shifted to get more comfortable, their legs would brush up against each other, creating an awkward moment each time it happened. It wasn’t until Slughorn addressed him directly that he was able to shake himself out of his stupor. 

“I’m sorry, professor. Could you repeat that?” He felt stupid for having to ask, but he would have looked even more stupid if he tried to respond without knowing what was asked of him. 

“Mr. Malfoy, I recommend you start paying better attention. I’ve asked the class to start mixing their potions. You and Potter will be here all night if you don’t get started soon.” Just then, a 7th year’s cauldron caught fire, so Slughorn rushed off to deal with that situation, leaving Potter and himself to their own devices. 

Both of them sat in silence for the next couple of moments, not wanting to be the first one to break it. Draco knew it wouldn’t be him because he didn’t want Potter to know he had no idea what they were to be doing. He looked around at the other pairs to get a clue. Unfortunately, this was no help. 

Suddenly, Potter was on his feet and headed for the front of the room. “Just where do you think you’re going? Don’t think you can leave me here to do this on my own. I mean, I could probably do better on my own, but I’m definitely not letting you piggyback off of me.” 

Potter sighed deeply before turning to face him, “Relax, Draco. I’m just going to ask Hermione what we are to be doing since you obviously have better things on your mind.” With that, Draco let him go. 

When Potter returned, he relayed the information he’d gotten from Granger. “So we are to mix these ingredients... “ he placed them in front of Draco on the desk, causing Draco to move back as to not be touched by the other boy. “... with this liquid the way that the textbook describes. Then we are to cast the Alliges Duplicia charm using this wand motion after spreading the potion over the things we’d like to bind.” He showed Draco the motion with his wand. 

It seemed simple enough, so Draco opened the textbook to the proper page and began following the instructions. Potter followed his every move, seeming to be fascinated at how easy this all was to Draco. Admittedly, Draco found this rather amusing as well. It wasn’t very often he was better at something than the golden boy, so he was milking this for all it was worth. 

The text said the potion would be complete when the steam from the cauldron was a bright, purple hue. Draco looked around at all of the other cauldrons in the room and noticed not a single one had accomplished this yet, not even Granger whose hair had grown larger than ever due to frizz, so he smiled pretty wide when their cauldron was the first to do so. Slughorn even noticed and praised them for their efforts.

The next thing to accomplish was binding two objects using the potion as well as a charm. Using both forms of magic would create a permanent bind, so whatever they chose to use would have to be common and easy to replace. Apparently, they were supposed to bring things in, but neither Draco nor Harry had attended the last class meeting, the hadn’t. Therefore, they both began searching their packs to find easily replaceable objects. Potter pulled out a chocolate frog, which would be doable, and Draco found a queen he’d knicked from a chess set he found abandoned in the common room. He thought it’d be funny to make the queen look as if it were riding the frog like a horse, so he positioned the items accordingly. This gained him a small chuckle from Potter, and to Draco’s surprise, he felt quite pleased with himself for having been able to make the boy laugh twice in less than twenty-four hours. A sense of pride washed over him, but he shook it away, not wanting Potter or anyone else to catch on. However, he couldn’t hide the small upward curvature of his lips as he continued working on their project. 

Once the queen and her new steed were in place, Draco dipped a ladle in the potion ready to pour a small amount over the figures. He motioned for Potter to cast the charm and waited for him to start his wand movements. This charm must be cast at the same time the potion is being poured, otherwise, it would be ineffective. 

They began the procedure together, and it was going as planned, but as they were doing so, the boy from the pair in front of them suddenly stepped back into the pedestal that held Potter and Draco’s perfectly brewed potion, knocking it over. The potion poured out all over Draco and Potter’s desk as well as their bodies. 

Draco spit the potion that had got into his mouth out as he quickly stood up, drawing out his wand. In a lapse of his ability to control his emotions, he grabbed the boy’s shirt and pressed him up against a nearby bookcase. “You absolute, fucking idiot!” He shouted as he raised his wand above his head in a threatening manner.” 

Suddenly, he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders attempting to pull him away. He shrugged them off, but they returned just as quickly. “Draco, calm down” he heard Potter’s voice say as one of the hands from his shoulder went to grab his wand hand to pull it down. 

Breathing heavily, he gave in to Potter’s command, let the boy go, and walked back to his desk to gather his things and leave. Potter followed suit, and they both left as the rest of the students in the room, including Slughorn, sat motionless and dumbfounded. 

Draco walked very quickly down the hall, heading back to his dorm when he felt Potter catch up to his side. “Draco, stop” he heard him say, but didn’t care to obey. He quickened his pace, leaving Potter scrambling once again to catch up. 

“DRACO, STOP!” the boy said loudly and angrily. This time, Draco did stop. He stopped and quickly turned to face Potter, glaring at him. “What, Potter!? What do you want?!”  
Finally, he was able to see it. There was a strong purple glow surrounding Potter that made him look like a fluorescent jellyfish. He looked down at his own body and noticed he was also glowing the same shade of purple. “What the fuck?” he said, completely bewildered.

Just then, Slughorn and many other students came rushing into the hall after them. Their faces all formed shocked expressions as they looked Potter and himself over. It really was like nothing they’d ever seen before. 

Stuttering a bit- obviously in a situation, he didn’t know how to handle- Slughorn rushed over trying to calm the boys down. “N-now there is no reason… no reason to panic. I’m sure everything will be fine.” He looked them both up and down again before continuing. “Why don’t you both just hop on down to the infirmary, and I’ll inform the headmistress that you’re there. We’ll have this corrected in a jiffy!” He clapped his hands together and herded the rest of the class back into the classroom, giving them one last concerned look before closing the doors.  
He and Potter both looked at each other, still not knowing fully what was happening. Potter began to say something, but Draco cut him off. “ Not a single word, Potter… unless you want me to hex you.” 

With that, they both took off for the infirmary, choosing to take the less-traveled route to avoid as many stares as possible.


	5. Crash Landing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There may be more to Draco and Harry's problem than a simple purple glow. Of course, they figure this out the hard way.

The infirmary was thankfully empty when they arrived, and Madame Pomfrey immediately gasped and rushed to them when she saw them. “Oh, my dear boys. What has happened to you both?” she said as she quickly started casting diagnostic spells on them. “This is like nothing I’ve ever seen,” she said after a few moments of discovering nothing amiss with the physical. 

“Can you tell me how this happened?”She was recasting the same diagnostic charms just in case she’d missed something previously.

Draco was about to respond when Potter jumped in, “A bad charms-binding potion mishap.” He shrugged his shoulders as if to say he was sorry. Draco scoffed at that. He’d never understand why someone would apologize for something they had no control over. He looked back over to Pomfrey and noticed all the blood had drained from her face, and she looked utterly shocked and concerned. She gathered herself again after an awkward moment of silence, patted both boys on their shoulders as she walked by them. 

“Boys, why don’t you take a seat, and I’ll be back momentarily.” Her tone was calm and kind, but her eyes gave away her deep concern, and Draco realized then that whatever had happened, wasn't something easily fixed.

He rolled his eyes and laid down on a nearby bed and wondered just how long he’d have to look like a neon firefly. Potter followed close behind him and sat down on the edge of bed directly next to his. “What do you think that was all about?” Potter said and began chewing on his thumbnail.

“Isn’t it obvious, Potter?” He said as he sat up. He looked at the other boy who sat across from him now. When their eyes met, he could tell Potter still had no clue what to think. Of course, he’d have to explain. He sighed again before continuing, “It’s obvious that what we’ve gotten ourselves into isn’t easily fixable, and they are now scrambling to find a solution without worrying us.” Looking into Potter’s eyes for that long was starting to make him uncomfortable, so he redirected his gaze to the window.

He didn’t look, but he saw out of the corner of his eye that Potter was examining his body to see if he was glowing everywhere. Draco didn’t much care if it was everywhere, rather he cared more about how long it would last. “I understand that, Draco,” he said curtly and continued, “What I meant was why is everyone so concerned? I’ve never heard of Madame Pomfrey not being able to fix something, so I’m sure everything will work itself out in the end.” 

Draco scoffed at that. “You’re annoyingly optimistic these days” and he returned to looking out the window, hoping the conversation would end. 

Potter stood up just then and started walking over to the other side of the room. Draco was glad to maybe get a bit of privacy before Madame Pomfrey returned, but suddenly, a rush of excruciatingly painful energy moved through his body and he felt himself being hurled through the air. When he’d recovered from that, he found that both he and Potter were sprawled out on the floor laying next to each other, their bodies pressed side-by-side. 

He heard the other boy groan as he tried to sit up and move away unsuccessfully. Draco was still recovering from being in that much pain, so he hadn’t attempted to open his eyes, let alone move, even if he was physically touching Potter. 

Just when he thought things couldn’t get any worse, he heard a mass of footsteps rushing toward them and stopping when they were about a foot from his head. Both Potter and himself were motionless on the floor, trying to recoup after whatever the hell just happened to them. 

“Are they dead?” 

Draco scowled internally when he heard the unmistakable voice of the Weasel. He groaned when Granger’s also unmistakable voice responded, “Of course, not Ronald. You can see their stomachs moving as they breath. As to why they are laying side-by-side, I haven’t a clue… Harry, what did you two do?”

He felt Potter sit up next to him, and decided he should probably attempt to moves as well. It was still painful to move, but definitely more manageable. He scooted over to lean back on the leg of one of the hospital beds and rested his head on his knees. 

“Did you do this, Malfoy?” He heard Weasel say abruptly. He looked up to see the red-headed boy glaring at him, but thankfully Potter responded before he could.

“No, Ron. I’m not sure what happened really. I got down off that bed and started walking over to the other side of the room when suddenly, we were both pulled through the air and thrown to the floor together… It was like some sort of magnet effect, but a lot more painful.” Draco wasn’t familiar with magnets, but he could tell Hermione was based on her reaction. It must be some sort of muggle contraption, so he ignored the comment

Draco sat watching the scene take place. She sat down next to Potter and grabbed his hand with both of hers. He looked up at her, but she’d looked over at Draco and then back to Potter. He rolled his eyes.

“You don’t think…” She sighed and then continued, “You don’t think you’ve could've been bound together in some way, do you? I mean, we were working with binding magic..”  
The realization hit them both at the same time. 

“Fuuuck!” he heard himself say as he tipped his head back and rested it against the bed leg. Of course, that’s what they’d done. She was just trying to say it politely.   
“Now Mr. Malfoy, I'm sure your mother taught you better language than that.” He straightened up quickly at the sound of McGonagall’s voice just in time to see her giving him a pointed look over her glasses. He gritted his teeth and began the stiff task of standing up. 

“Now, boys.” She continued. “I don’t know how to break this news to you, so I’m just going to say it. Based on your current state, I’m sure you've both figured out the basics of what you’ve done.” She took a breath before continuing, but Hermione jumped in before she could.

“Harry said there is a connection between them that felt like a painful magnetic pull. Could it really be, professor, that they’ve bound their magical energies together? I thought that kind of thing was only a legend.”

“Yes, Granger. You’ve taken the words out of my mouth.” Draco held back a smile when he saw Granger look dawn in embarrassment after realizing she’d annoyed McGonagall with her interruption. But then he scowled again when the realization of what she had said dawned on him. He didn’t even know magical energies could be manipulated, let alone bound to anything. He guessed it did make sense since Voldemort had basically done the same type of thing when he created Horcruxes. However, they hadn’t killed anyone, so how could this be possible? With so many thoughts rushing through his mind, his head began to ache, so he sat back down on the edge of a bed. 

“Now the question remains to whether or not you can be unbound.” McGonagall looked them both up and down observing them. “We’ll have to contact the Ministry to see if there are experts that can help get you out of this situation, but for now, I’m afraid that we can only correct your glowing skin condition.” She began working with Madame Pomfrey who had been mixing a selection of potions together as they spoke. 

Forgetting herself, Granger chimed back in, “Well, at least there’s that.” She was also being annoyingly optimistic. It almost made Draco gag. This was NOT an optimistic situation. For the foreseeable future, Potter would be bound to Draco, and they would be forced to spend an insufferable amount of time together. McGonagall handed them the solution and said, “Drink up.”

“You should see the glow fade in a couple of hours, and it should completely disappear by the morning,” explained Madame Pomfrey as she collected their empty glasses from them.

“For now, why don’t you two get your things and complete your homework in the library. We’ll need the time to figure out a temporary living situation for you.” She turned and walked away, not giving any of them a chance to respond. 

Potter, Granger, and the Weasel turned to form a circle that included him. All facing each other now, the golden trio began hypothesizing the best course of action. Honestly, he tuned them out, thinking solely about how the hell he was supposed to survive being in constant close proximity to Potter every second of every day. Everything about his life had just been flipped upside down. The thought was sickening. If he wasn’t able to leave soon, he was going to have another outburst like the one he’d just had during Potions. He looked up and noticed that all three of them were staring at him, and he realized he’d missed something. He focused his indignant expression on Potter, who read it and understood. 

Potter grabbed the shoulders of both of his friends and spoke, “You know what, guys, why don’t you let Draco and I figure this one out on our own?” He began pushing them toward the door, ignoring their objections. The door closed, and Potter rested up against it. Draco didn’t want to admit that he’d grown very uncomfortable now that Potter was further away, so he thrust his hands in his pockets to hide his nervousness and moved closer. Potter visibly grew less tense, and he knew that he’d also experienced relief. 

Neither of them knew what to do or say, so Draco grabbed his belongings and motioned toward the door. They should actually get started on homework soon if they wanted to finish before dinner. Potter grabbed his stuff, and with Draco leading them, they both headed to the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.


	6. New Digs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and Harry are provided with a new living situation. If it weren't for their unfortunate situation, the new flat would have been a nice change from communal living.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter basically sets up the next one where things get a little more intense. Don't worry though. I have more chapters prepared already, but they are in the process of editing. Draco will lighten up. He will start to allow Harry "in," and they will soon find common ground. 
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.

Draco didn’t want Potter invading the private hideaway that he’d built for himself in the back of the library, but if he wanted to escape the constant gossip and stares of his peers, he knew he knew it would be the safest place for them. Thankfully, Potter was smart enough to not ask questions and to just follow as Draco quickly led them there. 

When they arrived, Draco plopped down on his bean bag so that Potter wouldn’t take it from him, and he let the boy pull up a chair of his own, growing more uncomfortable the farther they were apart. He relaxed again when Potter brought up a chair and set next to him, so he pulled out his school materials and began working. He wasn’t there to hear the assignment Slughorn had given them, so he looked at the syllabus to see that there were to write 5 inches on the outcome of their first attempt with mixing potions and charms, explaining what went right and what could be better. The assignment was almost funny to him. He pictured himself turning in a scroll that just said, “Well, it definitely worked.” He let loose a small chuckle as he pictured Slughorn’s astonished reaction. He looked up to see Potter staring at him curiously. He rolled his eyes and prepared his scroll, ink, and quill and began writing.

After about 30 minutes, Potter spoke, startling Draco for a moment because he’d forgotten he wasn’t alone. “Where do you think they’ll have us stay?” Draco looked up at him to see he was staring out the window watching the sunset. It occurred to him then that they had also watched the sunrise together that morning, and things felt more surreal than ever at that moment. 

“I haven’t a clue, Potter,” he said, trying to sound indifferent, even though they both knew he was wasn’t. 

The boy pulled his foot up so that it rested on the edge of his seat, and placed his arms around his knee, still looking out the window. “I mean, there aren’t a lot of places that would work for our situation. We can’t stay in each other’s common rooms, the Room of Requirement is obviously off limits, and the last time I checked, there aren’t random apartments on campus, so I was just wondering; how are they going to accommodate this?”

“Potter, there are several single apartments for teachers on campus. They will probably stick us in one of those. Honestly, if I wasn’t attached to you, it wouldn’t seem like that bad of a deal.” 

The last bit of that he’d said off-handedly, but when he turned to look at Potter, he was greeted by a hurt expression. It seemed all of his jeers were hitting Potter pretty hard these days, and then he suddenly realized that the jeers weren’t coming from both ways. ‘Since when had Potter stopped insulting him?…. And since when did he care what Draco thought of him in return?’ he thought to himself. They were not friends, and up until now, Potter had always made that abundantly clear. 

Suddenly, Potter spoke up and brought him back from his thoughts once more. “Can I ask you something?” 

Draco gave him an annoyed look, but gestured for him to proceed, “How’d you get a bean bag in here, and what’s keeping it from being stolen?” 

‘Good. Potter was jealous of his bean bag’ he thought, and that filled him with pride in his work. “Well, I didn’t sneak it in if that’s what you’re asking."

“Oh,” was all he said in reply. He stared back out the window and the setting sun cast a warm light on his face, and even with the purple glow that surrounded him, the warm light made the green in his eyes really deepen in color. Draco caught himself admiring them a little too much, so he looked away and tried to focus back on his work. 

“Well, how did you get it in here then?” 

Annoyed, Draco sighed and looked up directly into the deep green eyes he was just admiring. He got lost for a second but remained composed in front of the other boy. Shaking away his stupor, he answered, “It wasn’t originally a bean bag… In its former life, it was a desk chair.” He cocked his eyebrow at Potter as if sarcastically begging the boy to challenge him on that fact.  
He saw the realization in Potter’s face before he responded, “I always admired your Transfiguration skills. They’re very... practical.” 

Draco stared at him now with his mouth gaping in utter confusion and frustration. He wasn't sure if that was an actual compliment or sarcasm. He tossed his homework aside for the time being and replied, “Alright, Potter. What the hell is up with you lately?” 

This took the other boy by surprise. “What are you talking about, Draco?”

The sound of his given name coming from Potter was more than enough to set him off the edge. He stood now facing Potter. “See, that’s what I’m talking about!” he said it as he briefly pointed to the boy’s mouth. “Since when do you call me Draco? Since when are you nice to me? Since when have you wanted to carry on a conversation with me?” He began pacing in the small space that was available, trying to understand everything. When Potter began to speak, he cut him off, “You’re so ...frustrating, Potter. It's like you don’t hate me anymore, and I’m not sure how to deal with that!” He raked his hands through his hair and leaned over heavily and rested his hands on the windowsill that was just a few feet in front of the other boy. 

In a soft and concerned voice, Potter responded, “I don’t think I’ve hated you for a long time, Draco.” 

He heard Potter’s chair slide across the floor as if he’d just stood up to leave. However, Draco still only felt a mild irritation vibrating through his body, so he knew Potter didn’t actually walk away. He couldn’t for the life of him believe that Potter was admitting to not hating him, and he was now questioning everything. He let his breath go after realizing he’d been holding it and turned to face Potter who was now leaning on the closest bookcase with his back turned. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he said in a much calmer tone.

Potter sighed and crossed his arms as he turned around. “Look, Draco. Read into it what you will, but we both know that we understand each other more than most people do. We’ve spent most of our childhood focused on each other, and now that we’re no longer supporting different sides, I think it’s high time we stopped focusing on any animosity we've been holding. There’s no use in it anymore, and I’ve got bigger things to worry about.” He rolled up his sleeves as Draco often observed him do when he needed to be more comfortable or when he was stressed. Then he continued, “Besides… there is a lot we could learn from each other, and I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but maybe this whole ‘accident’ is really more of a blessing than a curse.” He gestured with his a back and forth motion between them to help aid his point but didn’t look directly at Draco the whole time he spoke, showing how hesitant he was to actually say what he was saying.

Draco stood there staring at him with his mouth agape. He couldn’t actually believe all he was hearing. After a few moments, he closed his mouth, turned back to face the window where he saw the sun was only just peeking above the horizon, and he ran his fingers through his hair. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t actually argue with Potter on any of his points, so he just didn’t respond. He didn’t need Potter thinking he agreed with him either, so he sent him a glaring look before sitting back down on his bean bag and resuming his writing. It was a good thing he only had a few sentences left to complete because there was no way he could focus on it now.

Just as he was finishing his last sentence, his concentration was broken by Potter’s rumbling stomach. He’d forgotten about dinner, and Potter was probably too worried about causing another meltdown to remind him of it. He cast a quick Tempus and realized there was still a few minutes left, and they could catch it if they hurried. “Potter, your stomach is breaking my concentration. Can we please go to the Great Hall and take care of this situation so I can focus?” His tone was much harsher than it needed to be, but he couldn’t help himself. Just because Potter had a sudden change of heart didn’t mean he needed to as well.

Just then, he heard the familiar sound of high heels hitting the stone floor in a rhythm that reflected a feeling of importance. It must’ve been McGonagall, and Draco feared his little hideout would be discovered and taken from him, so he stood up hastily and reluctantly transfigured his bean bag back to its original form. He hoped he could restore its comfort levels when he returned later, but it wasn’t likely, which is why he’d never returned it to its original shape before. He turned and awaited her arrival.

When she did appear, she immediately began speaking. “Potter… Malfoy” she looked at them both seriously. “Follow me.” The gathered their things and did as they were told. 

After walking for several minutes, McGonagall finally stopped them in the middle of a barely-used corridor. She turned to them and motioned to the wall beside her. “This is the entrance to your new dormitory.” She held out her hand and touched the wall just below a barely visible engraving. Draco had seen similar engravings before in random parts of the castle, and now he understood that these engravings marked the entrances to various professors’ living spaces. “It has been disguised so that other students won’t disturb you, and it will only respond to you magical energies, meaning you both have to touch the wall in order to be admitted into the room.” She dropped her hand and stared at them. When they didn’t respond, she scoffed and continued, “Well, go on. Give it a go.” 

They both jumped after realizing she was waiting on them, and they placed their hands on the wall together. They waited for a moment, but nothing happened. “Very interesting…" She thought for a moment before continuing, "We’ve programmed these wards to respond to your exact source of magical energy, so therefore, it must be that you have to be physically touching while placing your hands on the wall in order for it to work properly.” 

The boys both looked at each other. Draco was scowling, while Potter looked hesitant. To save Potter a second wave of disappointment and embarrassment, Draco grabbed his hand and forced it against the wall hard enough to express his frustration, but not enough to hurt the other boy. Suddenly, a door materialised in front of them. 

“Very good.” They heard McGonagall say. “Now, you’ll find two full-sized beds, one full bathroom, a comfortable living space, and a place to study. This should be everything you’ll need until we can get you two separated. We made sure to transfer all of your belonging here as well to save you the trouble of entering each other’s common rooms.” She looked them over, which gained her a concerned expression. “Try not to burn the place down.” She added and then turned to leave but must've forgotten something because she looked back at them and continued. “Oh, and since you were absent at supper tonight, we’ve had the elves place your meals at the study tables. This is a one-time thing, boys. You’ll be expected to dine with the rest of the students from this point forward.” 

He sighed and felt Potter step up next to him as they watched her walk away. “Well, it’s better than a cupboard under the stairs. I’ll say that much.” Draco honestly couldn’t tell if Potter was joking or not, but didn’t care enough to ask at that moment. 

He pushed the doors open and they both walked in their new living quarters. “Here we go,” Draco said aloud, reassuring himself. He definitely wasn’t ready for what lay ahead, but he braced himself none the less.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The room was decent. It had everything McGonagall said it had, but it was very plain. Draco figured he could transfigure some proper decor at some point, but that would mean he believed they would be here for a while. He wasn't ready to believe that just yet.

He and Potter ate their dinner and went through their night time routines in awkward silence. Neither one of them seemed interested in picking up their earlier conversation, and that was just fine by Draco. 

When it was time to get into bed, Draco noticed they'd been placed on opposite sides of the room. The room wasn't large enough for another repeat of what happened in the infirmary, but if he and Potter were to be on opposite ends, he knew they'd experience a great deal of discomfort. Throughout the evening, he'd noticed that he’d experienced distress when he was just about 5-6 meters from Potter. He knew he'd never sleep with the beds in their current positions. They had to be at least 10 meters apart, but he was too proud to mention anything to Potter. 

He walked over to the bed, attempted to ignore the vibration of energy he felt as it tried to pull him nearer to Potter, and tucked himself in. He curled up in a ball and attempted to focus on anything else, but all his thoughts were centered on his magical energy basically yanking him in the opposite direction. 

He turned over and looked at Potter to see if he was experiencing the same sensations. The boy was still radiating a soft, purple hue from the accident, but it had faded considerably. In all the fuss today, Draco hadn’t had the energy to focus on how terrible he must’ve looked with a purple glow radiating from himself, but since it couldn’t be avoided, he shoved the thought to the back of his mind. There were bigger things to worry about in this moment. Potter was pacing back and forth in front of the other bed in obvious torment, but Draco said nothing. He watched as the other boy pulled back the covers on the bed forcefully and plop himself in. He wandlessly turned off the lights, but Draco could still see a small amount of purple glow as he laid in the bed. 

Minutes passed, and suddenly, Draco started hearing Potter turn over in bed trying to accomplish the impossible task of getting comfortable. When he didn’t stop, Draco was forced to say something.

“Potter, stop moving. I can barely get comfortable as it is, and your constant noise making is highly distracting.” He watched as Potter angrily flipped over to his back and sighed deeply.   
A few moments after that, Draco heard the sound of Potter thrusting himself out of bed. He opened his eyes, and sure enough, Potter was standing barefoot and shirtless at the foot of his empty bed with his wand in hand. The glow around his body was still bright enough for Draco to see each muscle outlined in Potter’s arms and abdomen, and seeing that sent a different kind of rush through his body, which he promptly ignored. Fearing some sort of threat, Draco sat up but eased himself again when he noticed Potter was only levitating he bed closer to Draco’s. 

The boy placed the bed about 2 meters from his, and Draco was about to protest, but held his tongue, knowing full well that he’d be more comfortable being at this distance from Potter that not. He watched as Potter got back into bed, and he definitely wasn't watching his muscles work as he moved, so he rolled over to face the wall before they could make eye contact. Feeling only a mild vibration through his body, Draco was finally able to relax enough to be able to fall asleep, ignoring any other thought he'd been having in that moment.


	7. "Things are What they Are"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco overhears something rather interesting, and Potter gets a moment with his friends. 
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this chapter is a bit more of a setup, but the good stuff if coming. I promise.

When Draco opened his eyes the following morning, he saw Potter still sleeping soundly in his bed that had seemingly migrated even closer to Draco’s through the night. He yawned, stretched, and sat up, resting his back against the wall behind him. He noticed the sun had already risen, and its rays lit up the room entirely. Draco scowled as he was, once again, noticing the plainness of the room and started making mental notes of everything he’d change. He didn’t know how long they’d be there, but he’d decided he wasn’t going to stay in a room that wasn’t beautiful. 

The dorm was set up in a very practical way. As soon as you walk into the room, you would be in the common living space fixed with a high ceiling, a brown sofa, two black, comfortable-looking chairs, a green rug, and a fireplace. You’d notice a full (yet plain) bathroom on the left with clean, white tiles from floor to ceiling. Just beyond the bathroom and common area, you’d see two identical beds on each side of the room fixed up with light blue dressings, and a study area in-between them. Well, the beds were no longer on opposite sides, but that's beside the point. There were also two great windows on the wall opposite the bathroom where the common area and Draco’s chosen side of the room were. The dusty old curtains on them that Draco believed were once white now looked browner than anything. 

He started planning a new color scheme with great curtains on the windows and matching bed covers. He’d change the color of the common room furniture and rugs, and add several accents of color around the room. He stood up from the bed and put on his house shoes and began working on just that. 

With the tan-colored stone walls of the castle, and it being Autumn, Draco thought dark colors would be appropriate, so he started transfiguring the old curtains into luxurious ones in a deep shade of purple. He cast another spell that changed the green rug into a soft one that matched the curtains in color. He didn’t want to mess with the shape and sizes of the common area furniture because they look to be just about as comfortable as his bean bag, so he just changed them to a cream color. He’d make sure to take some plants from the greenhouses later to add them as accents around the room, but he’d have to figure out how to get Potter to tag along. He’d waited to redress the beds until last hoping that Potter would sleep through most of the morning. He was starting to believe the boy was the heaviest sleeper in the world, but when he turned to look at the boy, he noticed that Potter had been watching him, and he hoped he’d not been watching for long. He immediately stopped what he was doing and sat down at one of the study table chairs, feeling the cold wood on his bare back. 

He realized then that when he was wandering about the room, his magical energy was pulling Potter’s with it. “Okay, so there will be no sneaking around any time soon,” he thought to himself as he stared at the other boy who suddenly sat up now that he’d been caught awake. 

“Don’t stop on my account,” Potter said as he scanned the room, taking in its new look. He turned back to Draco and cocked an eyebrow. “Purple?” he asked as a genuine question. 

Draco shrugged, trying to appear indifferent, even though he secretly hoped Potter doesn't hate his color scheme. “I thought it fitting,” he said, referring to the color of their no longer glowing skin had been the day before, even though that wasn’t the real reason he’d chosen it. 

“Right,” Potter said as he got up from the bed, turning to face it. “Well, this looks like the last thing on your list. Don’t let me get in your way.” He quickly made the bed and then headed off to the bathroom. 

Draco heard the shower come on, and he was left feeling uncomfortable on the chair. He got up and changed the color of their duvets, but before he decided to end his little interior design mission, he shrunk Potter’s sheets a bit so that they wouldn’t properly stay in place as he rolled about in the night. It was a petty move, but Draco smiled at the thought of this being an annoyance to Potter. 

When Potter reappeared in the common area ready for the day, Draco took his turn getting ready. Once finished, the boys were left sitting awkwardly in the two comfy chairs. Draco looked over and noticed Potter was visibly upset about something, so he decided he’d better just get the question out of the way and ask what the matter was. “Potter, are you going to tell me what’s bothering you, or are you just going to sit there worrying about it all day?”

“Can we sit on the sofa together?” Potter blurted it out as he gripped the armrests a the chair, and it took him by surprise. 

In any other situation, Draco would have gone off on Potter for such a question, but he knew why he’d asked. The constant pull of their energies was getting quite more uncomfortable than ever, and to be honest, Draco could also use some relief. Reluctantly, he got up from his chair and sat awkwardly on the sofa, and Potter joined him there in a rush. 

Immediately, their discomfort minimized to just a small ache. Draco hypothesized that the ache would go away entirely if they were to be touching, but he wasn’t about to make that move.   
Luckily for him, he didn’t have to. Just then, Potter closed the space between them and pressed their hips and arms together. “Potter, what the hell do yo--”

“SHH, Draco. You know this feels good,” Potter said as he exhaled deeply experiencing total relief for the first time since they’d been bonded. And Draco had to admit to himself that he did feel loads better. Still, he crossed his arms across his chest to make a show of his disdain, but he didn’t move away. 

They just sat there for a few moments with their sides touching before they heard a knock on the door, startling both of them and causing Potter to move away so they were no longer touching, but still sitting inches apart. Draco found himself missing the contact, but was certain this was only because his energy was most relaxed when they were touching. Potter cupped his hands in his lap and stared down at them nervously. McGonagall walked in just afterward, not waiting on them to answer the door. She observed their current situation but did not comment on it. Instead, she proceeded to tell them why she’d come. “Good, you’re both back to regular color… Well, I have good news and bad news for you boys. I suppose you’ll be wanting to hear the good news first?” 

Draco didn’t think it mattered what news they’d gotten first because the situation was out of their hands at this point anyway. Still sitting next to Potter with his arms crossed, he gave her a look that allowed her to proceed, and Potter must’ve done the same. 

“The good news is that you’ll not be stuck like this forever. However, it will take several months for the effects of the magic to wear down enough that your energies can be safely unbound.” She wrung her hands together and scanned the room, noticing the obvious difference in decoration from the previous day. She didn’t comment on it, but Draco could tell this amused her. She continued, “We’ve contacted two ministry officials about your situation, and they are also working to figure out a way to speed up the process of unbinding. Ewan Coyle of the Misuse of Potions Department and Alexander Gregson from the Illegal Charms department will be meeting with you both in the near future to get a better grasp of the situation you’ve gotten yourselves into. And, of course, Mr. Malfoy, we’ve contacted your mother.” 

Draco stood up in protest, uncrossing his arms. He was just about to verbally protest because why should his mother have another thing to worry about, but McGonagall cocked an eyebrow at him as a warning, so he re-crossed his arms and walked over to look out the window, not wanting to say something that could get him into any more trouble. 

“Now, if you boys don’t hurry, you’ll miss the end of lunch, and I don’t think you’ll want to wait until dinner for your first meal.” She took one more admiring look about the room before turning to leave. 

Being extremely frustrated with this whole situation, Draco sighed deeply before addressing Potter. “Well, c’mon then. I’m not listening to your astonishingly loud stomach all afternoon. He walked briskly passed Potter who still sat on the couch and headed out the door, knowing that Potter was following closely behind based on the small tug of his energy.

\---------------------------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- ----------  
The rest of the day was everything you’d expect it to be. They sat in silence while reading or completing different assignments when alone in their room. While Draco felt the silence was rather awkward, Potter’s quirks and mannerisms didn’t bother him as much as he thought they would. He noticed several things about Potter that afternoon. When the boy was really deep in thought, he twiddled his quill in the air by his head. When he was focused on his writing, he’d bite on his tongue. His sharp intakes of breath let Draco know that he’d gotten a new idea or thought. But the most peculiar quirk was the way he watched Draco when he didn’t think Draco noticed. When this happened, the all too familiar feeling of being watched came over him. 

Suddenly, he’d figured out who had been keeping tabs on him, and this seriously spiked his curiosity. 

When they were forced to leave the room for meals, he could feel the tension rise between the both of them. Apparently, when the saviour of the wizarding world found himself attached to an ex-Death Eater, people tended to act irrationally. Students and teachers alike were giving Potter sorrowful looks and then sneering at him as if it were his fault they were bonded. He kept his eyes directly ahead of him most of the day to avoid their gazes. Thankfully, it was the weekend, so they only had to be seen out and about for meals, which he and Potter both agreed would be better eaten in their new living quarters away from the curiosity and judgment of others.

To Potter’s dismay, the leeches he liked to call his friends were absent during the midday meal. However, they made it a point to not miss dinner. The bonded duo had only just rounded the corner and entered the great hall when they were bombarded by the pair as well as the Weaslette, which Draco had forgotten entirely about in the madness. They pushed the boy back out in the hall, probably to avoid the commotion in the dining area. Draco scorned them but stayed near as the leeches threw so many questions at Potter all at once without stopping to hear the answers, and the Weaslette threw her arms around him, catching him off guard. The latter action annoyed Draco more than it should have, but he summed up that feeling as just his disapproval of public displays of affection. 

Mostly, they wanted to know how he was getting on and if he needed anything. “Must be nice having people wait on you hand and foot,” he heard himself say. This earned him a glare from the Weasel, but the girls had been too caught up with pestering Potter that they’d missed his comment. 

He watched disapprovingly as Potter answered all of the leeches’ questions and quite amusingly held the youngest Weasel at bay, even avoiding eye contact with her all together it seemed. Finally, Granger looked up and acknowledged his presence. “So sorry, Draco. This must all be a lot to take in right now.” She looked from Potter to him, who looked very stressed and tired, and she seemed to realize that as she took in the sight of them. He scoffed, crossed his arms, and leaned up against the wall, waiting for this encounter to end. He pretended not to appreciate her pity, but since it’d been a while since anyone seemed to care about him, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat good about it, even if it was coming from Granger. 

“Ron, Ginny- I think we need to let these two get some food so they can get some rest. They look like they could keel over at any instant.” She grabbed both of their arms and attempted to lead them away, but the Weasels didn’t seem to catch on. They both yanked away from her to stay with Potter, and Weaselette latched onto Potter’s arm in defiance. 

Draco stiffened at the sight, probably because he hated unwanted contact, and it was obvious from Potter’s demeanor that he wasn’t in the mood to be touched. Draco took comfort in the thought that Potter must’ve not liked PDA either based on his actions. “Good. Maybe they won’t try anything in front of me…. I could always threaten a good hex if they do,” he thought to himself, smirking a little. 

Just then, Potter did something he’d not expected in the slightest. He grabbed the Weaselette’s arm and dragged her just far enough away to create an unnerving pull from their energies. 

Draco lurched forward and gained the attention of Granger. She studied him for a moment as he regained his composure and then turned back to Potter. 

Draco tried to eavesdrop on Potter’s conversation, but he couldn’t make out much. He’d definitely given her some bad news because the Weaselette turned beat red as silent tears began to fall down her cheeks. She said something in reply but was greeted with what seemed to be more bad news. She wiped away the tears with her sleeve, turned, and walked dolefully down the hall in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. Potter’s shoulders slumped as he raked his hand through his unruly, black hair. He stood there for a moment before finally turning and heading back in their direction. 

“You think it’ll ever set in that you’re never getting back together?” he heard Weasel say as Potter approached him. “I mean, it’s been months now..” he trailed off.  
Potter sighed, “I think it might have actually sunken in this time… I hope so at least.” He leaned dejectedly against the wall. “I told her it was a mistake that we’d ever gotten together in the first place, seeing as things are the way they are.” 

“Right, mate,” Weasel said as he clapped Potter on the shoulder. “It was too weird anyway. My sister and my best mate…. That was a lot to handle. ‘S too bad for mum, though. She was excited and the prospect of you officially joining the family.” 

The last bit of their conversation was left unheard by Draco. He was too perplexed over the news of the golden boy not being with the Weaselette. Draco wasn’t sure he’d just heard that correctly, and the moment felt very surreal. Potter and the Weaselette seemed to be the perfect couple. They certainly suited each other, no matter how annoying it was. Suddenly, he felt a small pang in his abdomen. He couldn’t understand why, but he found himself feeling the slightest twinge of empathy for the girl… He rolled his eyes at his own thoughts and brushed them away. Trying to forget about it, he finally spoke, “Potter, I’d rather not stand in the hall all night, so could you wrap things up?” He uncrossed his arms, placed one hand on his hip, and gave Potter a pointed look, to which he immediately responded to and moved closer to Draco. 

Granger hugged Potter and gave him a look that said “if you need anything, we’re here,” and Weasel gave him a small clap on the back before returning to their seats at the Gryffindor table. 

He and Potter gathered foods that could be easily transported to their new room and headed back to it. There were so many burning questions in his mind about everything he’d just witnessed. “When had Harry broken up with the Weaselette, and why wasn’t the news spread all over the school? ... What did Potter mean when he said, ‘things are what they are?’ Why did he find all of this relieving?” He scratched his head and decided maybe it was time he sat down with Potter to have a little chat. After all, they were going to be spending every waking moment with each other for the foreseeable future, so he might as well get intel on his new and unwanted companion just in case the information became useful in the future, of course. They walked back together in silence while Draco tried picturing how such a conversation would take place.


	8. Can I Ask You a Question?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry asks a question that begins to tear down the walls Draco has built around himself. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I find it challenging to write from the perspective of a character that is as complex as Draco. Hopefully, I've done it justice here.

Once in their new living quarters, Potter discarded his sweater and shoes, leaving them in a pile by the door. Draco scoffed and said, “Potter, didn’t your parents teach you any manners?” The words came out before he thought about them, and suddenly he wished to take them back. 

Potter looked at him and, to Draco’s surprise, he quirked up the corners of his mouth into a knowing smile. “The Dursley’s didn’t care much about what I did as long as I served them and stayed out of their way,” he replied, ignoring Draco’s lapse in memory. 

A twinge of guilt hit Draco, but he refused to let Potter see. “Of course,” he responded. He didn’t say anything for a bit, preferring to take his own shoes off as setting them in their proper place in his wardrobe. He made sure to gesture to Potter the proper place for shoes, but Potter only chuckled in return and didn’t bother picking his up. This annoyed Draco, but he said nothing more about it. Instead, he wanted to know more about Potter’s past. “The Dursleys…”

Potter waited for Draco to continue, but since the boy was lost in thought, he responded anyway, “My aunt and uncle. They took me in when my parents died... They didn’t like me much.” The last bit he’d added as an afterthought. He went over and sat on the couch, gesturing for Draco to sit next to him, and Draco didn’t refuse. Since they’d spent most of the day meters apart, the constant tug of their energies had worn him out. He sat down next to Potter, but they remained untouching, and Draco crossed his arms to make sure Potter saw his disdain. 

Draco thought for a moment and replied, “So you lived with them, served them, and they didn’t teach you manners?... It’s no wonder you are the way that you are.” He looked over to Potter and found him smiling. 

“Yeah, I expected that coming from you,” he chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair, looking at the fire in the fireplace that one of the house elves must have started for them. 

Draco gave him an incredulous look. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He turned to look at Potter again and waited for an answer. When he saw Potter smiling at him, his stomach started acting as if it would float away. The strange sensation was one he’d never felt, but for some reason, he didn’t wish for it to fade. 

“It means that you and I have lived very different lives, and it’s no wonder we’ve not gotten on for all of these years.” 

They sat not speaking for a few moments while Draco absorbed the new information. Potter eventually broke the silence. “Can I ask you something,” he said as he turned to look at Draco. 

Draco gestured for him to continue. “I’ve noticed you hide away in the library a lot.”

“That’s not a question, Potter”

“Right… I guess my question is why?” He turned to look at the fire as if he was afraid of being snapped at.

Draco chewed on the side of his lip and thought for a moment before replying, “It’s safer for me there.” He also turned his head away, not wanting to see Potter’s reaction after he’d admitted something so personal.

He felt the tug of his energy lessen slightly as Potter moved closer. “Oh,” he said as he sat pondering his next words. After a pause, he spoke again, “You act differently when you think no one is around to see.” 

There is was… the proof that Potter had been the source of his paranoia. It didn’t shock him really considering he’d found out the boy had basically stalked him all of sixth year. Old habits die hard he guessed. “How so?” was all he said in response. 

He could feel Potter’s eyes on him as he responded. “Well, I guess you’re calmer… more relaxed” Draco looked at Potter and motioned for him to continue, not exactly liking the implied compliment but not hating it either. With permission, Potter held nothing back. “The tension in your eyes completely disappears, and you let your hair be messy and clothes wrinkled. When you’re focused, you chew on your bottom lip, like you’re doing now. When you've completely lost track of where you are and find something funny, you get the smallest hint of a smile… you look nice when you smile, Draco. You should do that more.” 

Draco grunted at that and stood up, immediately regretting that move because the tug of energies tightened. “I guess I don’t have a lot to smile about these days.” He ran his hand through his hair and grabbed the back of his neck while he hung his head. “Things are different for me now. Not all of our reputations were aided by the war, mine included. Have you seen the way people look at me in public!?” He felt his frustration rising, so he dropped his hand and began to pace. “They despise me! They’d prefer it if I’d died in the war.” His voice had grown louder with his level of frustration. 

Potter stared at him with his mouth agape. He gave time for Draco to calm down and recollect his thoughts before saying anything. “Draco, I think you’re misunderstanding the situation a bit. I mean, have you seen yourself? You---”

“And you’re not understanding it enough!... Because of my actions, people got hurt…. People died! Have you forgotten Dumbledore? I’m lucky to not be spending the rest of my days in Azkaban!” He leaned up against the wall and slid down it until he could bury his head in his knees. Wasn’t he supposed to be the one interrogating Potter? How did this conversation get flipped around so quickly? He hated bringing up all these emotions again, but in a way, it felt good to get it off his chest. 

He didn’t lift his head when he felt Potter kneel in front of him. He didn’t even shrug off the hand he now felt on his shoulder. “Draco, I also think you’re forgetting that you did not kill Dumbledore; Snape did.” He flinched at the mention of the name, but Potter continued, “He knew he was going to die that night, and he’d asked Snape to be the one to do it. You showed your true colors when you lowered your wand.” Draco looked at him incredulously. How could Potter have known that? “Yeah, I was there, Draco. I saw the whole thing. Dumbledore hid me under the floor.”... The hand on his shoulder tightened its grip in an attempt to comfort Draco. “I think you’re also forgetting I’m alive because of you… I think you’re forgetting that it was you who helped me succeed in killing Voldemort…. It was you who did that.”

Draco got up and pushed the hand away. He didn’t want to hear what Potter was saying, even if it was true. Nobody else was ever going to see past him being a Death Eater. “Potter, none of that matters because I am a coward. I became a Death Eater because I was afraid of what would happen to me if I didn’t. I ran from battle with my parents because I didn’t want to die. I crumbled in nearly every situation and took the easy way out. I didn’t lower my wand with Dumbledore because it was the right thing to do. I lowered my wand because I was too scared to do it! I failed in nearly every mission given to me by Voldemort because I am a fucking coward, and I never be anything more than that!!” His voice cracked as he began to get emotional. “You… you should hate me more than anyone.” He sat back down on the sofa and waited for Potter’s reply. 

Potter didn't sit. Instead, he elected to stand in front of Draco so they could speak face-to-face. Draco felt uncomfortable now because Potter standing over him made him feel less in control. In a calm voice, Potter responded, “Anyone in your position might have chosen the same paths.” Draco made a move to respond, but Potter gave him a warning look that stopped him. “You made those choices because you felt like you had to. Of course, you were scared of the consequences. You were a kid! Hell, we’re both still kids. No one our age should ever be faced with the decisions and situations we were forced to face!... The fact of the matter is that you made up for your poor choices! You saved my life in the Manor by not identifying me, and you made sure I had my wand in the final battle. There are witnesses to both accounts, and without you in those situations, Voldemort may have succeeded.” He moved to sit next to Draco after that, but he wasn’t finished speaking. “And for that matter… your mother deserves credit as well. When she lied to Voldemort and told him I was dead, she was trying to protect you, even though she knew full well it would likely cause Voldemort’s defeat.”

At this point, Draco was doing everything he could to hold back the tears that threatened to fall down his face. He turned his head away so Potter wouldn’t see how weak he’d become. The other boy must’ve understood that Draco couldn’t handle much more at this point and he got up from the sofa and made his way to the bathroom. Draco turned his face again so it wouldn’t be seen. Before closing the door, Potter said one last thing, “You're worthy of much more than you think you are, Draco. I hope one day you’ll realise that too.” And with that, he closed the door and turned on the shower. Draco was finally able to let his tears fall. He was finally forced to face his past and begin the process of recovering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, we are getting somewhere! Draco is a tough nut to crack, but if anyone can do it, Harry can. After this chapter, there will be some more intense moments but some really good fluff that follows. Building a relationship between enemies takes a long time. But in the end, it's worth the build-up.


	9. Forgive Yourself, Draco

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco get a visit from Ministry officials that aim to separate their energies as quickly as possible. 
> 
> Draco opens himself up a little bit more to Harry, and Harry uses his wisdom to comfort Draco. 
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.

The next few days passed with little interaction between the boys. They attended classes and meals, and they studied in their room, but they did their best to stay out of each other’s way. Draco even allowed Potter to invite his friends over one evening just so Potter would stop moping around all the time. He’d just stayed on his side of the room pretending to read. 

Neither Potter nor Draco brought up the conversation they’d had the other day, and Draco was thankful. He wasn’t ready for another go at it just yet. 

That Friday after classes and before dinner, Professor McGonagall barged in their room once again as they were working together on their Potion’s project. They were learning how to prepare a charmed binding potion that could be mixed with mortar for construction. This mixture was the main reason the wizarding world was full of structures that defied the laws of physics. This mixture permanently bonded bricks together and it was so strong that building seemingly impossible structures became possible. Sure, someone could cast a spell to get structures to do the same thing, but the spells have to be recast every now and then to keep them strong. With this mixture, it’s a one and done situation. It’s very advanced magic, and even Draco was struggling with it.

Their assignment had been to prepare the mixture and prove it successful by building a small structure using it. So far, they had not succeeded, and it was exceedingly frustrating. For some reason, the charm and potion weren’t producing the desired effect, no matter which boy tried casting the spell or mixing the potion.

They both were startled when McGonagall came barging in, and they noticed that she’d brought two strangers with her. Draco’s first thought was, “What if we were indecent? Maybe she’d think twice about barging in like that.” His second thought was, “These must be the Ministry officials she told us would come to poke and prod us for information.” He scowled and sat at one of the study tables. 

“Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, This is Ewan Coyle and Alexander Gregson from the Ministry. They’ll be assessing your situation before dinner.” She turned to face the men, “If you’ll be so kind as to inform me of your findings, I’d be grateful.” She looked back over to the boys and nodded before turning to leave. 

“You’re not staying?” He heard Potter inquire. 

She turned back to them looking almost annoyed at the question. This amused Draco a bit and he couldn’t help quirking up the corner of his mouth in a hint of a smile. 

“Well, no, Mr. Potter. I have a school to run at the moment, and I wasn’t aware you needed babysitting.” She looked at him over her glasses as she did so frequently to give Potter a pointed look. 

“Right,” he said and looked at the ground, embarrassed.

 

The men stayed and asked them questions for several minutes and then cast some analysis spells to see how bad the damage was. Draco thought it was incredibly interesting to see his magical energy in its tangible form. It was like a deep, blue aura that surrounded him looking similar to a Patronus. He looked over to see that Potter’s was bright yellow. However, his energy looked more like a brilliant fire. He also noticed their energies as they stretched between each other, and they were so intertwined that where they were joined glowed a bright green. It seemed as if their energies were combined in a way that allowed them to flow from each boy freely because of the connection between them. It was an interesting sight that he’d never be able to properly describe to anyone.

He looked up and saw Potter staring at him with an expression he’d never seen on the boy before. It was a look of awe. The look disappeared as soon as Potter caught him staring, but for once in his life, he actually understood what the other boy was feeling. He also was in awe at the beautiful sight for it was not something you'd see every day. However, before Draco was finished admiring it, the officials returned their energies back to normal when they'd gotten what they needed from them. Draco was disappointed to see it fade. 

“Well boys, you certainly gotten yourselves in quite a predicament,” said the man Draco thought to be Coyle. He looked at his notes before continuing. “Your energies are so tightly bound that even with our current methods of speeding up the unbinding process, you're going to be stuck like this for at least the next couple of months.”

“But what about quidditch?” He heard Potter say. Obviously, Potter’s priorities weren’t in check. Being stuck to your childhood enemy for months was sure to be the worst part of their predicament. Well, in Draco’s case it was. 

“I’m afraid you’ll not be playing quidditch for a while, boy. At least not while the bond is this strong between you.” He grabbed two flasks from his case and sat them down on the table. 

“These are potions we’ve crafted to speed up the unbinding process. It’s not guaranteed that they’ll work since we’ve never had human subjects to test them on before, but we are hopeful.” 

This struck Draco as an extreme risk. “You mean to tell me that you want us to ingest a liquid you’ve never tested? What if it makes things worse?” He wasn’t about to drink something that would have unknown effects. He crossed his arms in protest. 

Coyle laughed, but Gregson gave him an understanding look. “Look, take the potion or don’t take it. But trust me, if you want to get your lives back to normal sooner rather than later, this is your only option,” Coyle responded also crossing his arms and staring at Draco.

Draco rolled his eyes, but after thinking for a moment, he decided to drink the potion. It’d only been a week since the accident, and he was already sick of being constantly berated by Potter. 

“Fine,” he replied staring Coyle down as he grabbed one of the flasks. He popped off the top and downed the liquid in seconds, wiping his mouth with his sleeve like a barbarian when he’d finished. 

When nothing happened to him after a few moments, Potter took the other flask and drank the liquid as well. 

Gregson cast some more diagnostic spells, but it went without saying that there would be no change in their situation for quite some time. “The potion will take some time to have an effect. Just let Professor McGonagall know if you experience any changes, and she can relay the information to us. Hopefully, we’ll get all this figured out with minimal hiccups,” Gregson said in a much kinder tone than Coyle, and Draco appreciated that. He nodded at Gregson to thank him, and the men packed up their belongings and headed for the door.

Before exiting, Gregson turned back to them and said, “We’re going to do everything we can to get you both back to normal. In the meantime, you might as well try to get along. Let the past be the past, and start a new beginning.” He smiled apologetically and they both headed out. 

To Potter’s surprise, this time it was Draco that broke the silence. “I’ve never seen anything quite like that before.”

“I couldn’t see where my energy ended and yours began,” Potter said, stating the obvious. Draco studied his face again. This time it held the expression of deep concern. Suddenly, he looked up at Draco, “What if they can’t unbind us?” 

Draco laughed, “Potter, don’t be daft! They wouldn’t even mention us eventually being unbound if they didn’t think it possible.” 

Potter relaxed a bit, but he was still visibly upset. Draco did something then that he’d never thought he’d do. “Relax, Potter. There are worse things in the world than being stuck to you for three months,” he said, trying to calm the boy down. “We’ve been together this long without killing each other, so what’s some more time? If this is my punishment for my crimes, then so be it.” He said that last part mostly to himself. He hadn’t meant for it to spark their next conversation.

Potter stared at him. “So this feels like a punishment to you?” He looked slightly hurt by the comment, but Draco chose to ignore it. 

“What else could this be, Potter? Karma can be a real bitch.” He walked over to the window, folding his arms and watched the horizon as the sun set. He felt Potter walk up beside him, and immediately his energy calmed. 

“If this is karma, then my punishment must be facing you every day and seeing the scars from what I did to you during 6th year... I nearly killed you, and there is no worse crime than that.” Draco looked at him dumbfoundedly. He hadn’t thought about that night in so long, and his scars had gone unnoticed by him because they were just a part of his body now. He ran his fingers across his chest as he felt the scars beneath his shirt.

Before Draco could respond, Potter put his hand on Draco’s arm and turned him so they were facing. “Draco, I need you to know that I never meant to hurt you like that. I didn’t even know what that spell would do, and it was stupid of me to use it in the first place.” He dropped his arm slowly and broke eye-contact by looking down apologetically. 

Draco didn’t know how to respond to that. The only reason they’d gotten into that situation in the first place was because he had accidentally cursed another student in an attempt to kill Dumbledore. Potter was just reacting to that. Fearing another conversation like the one they’d had days before, he thought carefully about his next words. 

“Don’t apologise, Potter. We both know that killing me would have been a just punishment in that moment after everything I had done.” 

The apologetic look disappeared from Potter’s eyes, and he became irritated with Draco. “You can’t mean that, Draco.” He grabbed Draco’s arm again and pushed him up against a wall so he’d be forced to look at him. 

Draco so desperately did NOT want to back down from this fight, but he couldn’t find the words for a rebuttal. He cursed himself for even bringing up the topic. Draco leaned against the wall and gently tapped Potter’s hand to signify his defeat. “Maybe not, but we both know that I have yet to atone for my sins, and I’m not sure if there will ever be an opportunity for me to do so.”

Potter dropped his hand once more and took a small step back, looking confused. “Draco, we’ve been over this. Your actions at the end of the war proved to everyone tha---” 

“Just stop, Potter. I’m not in the mood for this tonight.” Draco looked at him pleadingly. He hated to admit it, but it was getting easier to express himself around the other boy in a civil manner, and they were understanding each other more and more every day.

Potter stepped over and leaned on the wall next to him before sliding his back down it into a sitting position on the floor. Draco did the same. 

Potter thought for a moment before saying anything. Moments passed as they sat there in silence, but this time, it wasn’t awkward. He was actually getting used to having Potter around all the time. Shaking him out of his thoughts, Potter spoke, “Dumbledore once said, ‘It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be... ” He looked at Draco while he sat staring at the ground. “Draco, you were born into a family that forced you to make some terrible choices. Now that your life is yours again, you are free to grow and become something greater… Hopefully, one day you’ll recognize that.” 

Draco stood up after that comment, choosing not to reply. At any other point in their past, Draco would have immediately argued to defend his family. However, in recent days, he was coming to terms with the fact that his family had not been ‘normal.’ Instead, he nodded at Potter as a way of sort of thanking him and thought how strange it was that he would be accepting words of wisdom from his once enemy. It was so unlike him to open up about anything at all, and there he was spilling his heart and soul to none other than Harry fuckin’ Potter. It all seemed made up and imaginary. He headed to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He stripped his clothes off and took a long, hot shower to ponder whether any of this was actually real, or if he’d entered into another dimension entirely. 

When he opened the bathroom door to head to bed, Potter had already laid down. They’d missed dinner all together, so Potter must’ve figured sleep was his best option right then because there was no way they were getting anything else done that evening. 

Their beds were still about two feet apart from each other, and Draco made it a point to get into his bed, facing away from Potter so he wouldn’t have to see the judgment in the other boy’s eyes, even though he could still feel them on his back. However, when he looked at the wall beside his bed, there was a note spelled to it.

“Forgiveness says that you are given another chance at a new beginning. Forgive yourself, Draco. I have. Give it time, and the rest of the world will too.” 

The words brought tears to Draco’s eyes. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to forgive himself for his crimes, and he's pretty sure that neither would the rest of the world. However, Potter’s note gave him a glimmer of hope that he’d not had before, and that made him want to cry because what if this hope was false? He’d be hurt all over again. 

He didn’t turn over to face Potter. He couldn’t bear to look in the boy’s eyes at that moment. Instead, he closed his eyes and hoped he’d be able to sleep peacefully that night, even under all of the added stress.


	10. An Unexpected Admission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry tell Draco something he'd never expected, and Draco tests the limits of their energies in a fit of frustration. 
> 
>  
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter," any of the spells (except for Alliges Duplicia), the characters or other original ideas from J.K. Rowling. I got my inspiration from Vendelin from the story, "Glued." However, the situations HP and DM get themselves into are entirely mine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is an explanation of some critical information not included in this chapter at the end that I couldn't fit into it smoothly. So if you read in the "Notes" section at the bottom of this page, it might help you understand my thought process better. I didn't want to include it at the beginning because of potential spoilers.

Several hours into the night, Draco woke up feeling extremely uncomfortable. His whole body was aching and he could hardly stand it. It was like his whole body was experiencing a migraine. When he rolled over, he saw that Potter looked equally uncomfortable. Their eyes met, and Potter’s seemed to be pleading. 

It took a moment for Draco to understand what he was silently asking, but suddenly, it clicked. Potter wanted the relief of physical contact to ease the ache. Draco sighed deeply, knowing that there was really no other solution to their problem, so he pulled back the covers to his bed and shifted over, creating enough room for Potter to join him. He turned back over to face the wall to let Potter know he disapproved of the situation, but let the covers remain open for him.

Potter immediately jumped out of his bed and joined Draco. He turned so that their backs were pressed up against each other, and they’d both instantly experienced relief. He hoped McGonagall wouldn’t come barging in again like she seemed to have a habit of doing. He’d rather her not catch them sleeping in the same bed. They didn’t need any more rumors going around about them. 

He slept soundly for the rest of the night. In fact, he’d overslept so long that when he awoke, the sun was already high in the sky. It was shining in through the window on his face, and he assumed that was what woke him up. He cast a quick Tempus and discovered it was time for lunch. He wasn’t about to miss another meal, so he quickly started to get up. 

He’d forgotten all about the fact that Potter had joined gotten into his bed that night, and when he went to stretch, he’d knocked the other boy in the cheek with his hand. This startled him, and he jumped before recollecting himself as the memory came back to him. Funnily enough, Potter didn’t react. “Interesting,” he thought to himself. He hadn’t realized that Potter was such a deep sleeper. 

Unfortunately, Draco was now trapped between Potter and the wall. If he wanted to get out of bed and begin the day, he’d have to crawl over Potter. Since that was never going to happen, he sent a small stinging hex his way, which backfired on him completely. 

Suddenly, Potter was out of bed with his wand drawn and a threatening look on his face. Draco sat up quickly and threw his hands up in surrender. That had definitely not been the reaction he’d expected, even if it did make sense to him now that Potter must’ve gotten used to having to sleep and awaken in potentially threatening situations. He cursed himself internally for the hex and made a mental note to never startle Potter awake again. 

Once Potter realized he wasn’t in any danger, his expression softened, and he lowered his wand. He sat on the edge of Draco’s bed and caught his breath. “Sorry,” he said not looking at Draco and rubbing his shoulder where Draco’s hex hit him. 

Draco laughed, “Remind me to never startle you ever again. I should like to keep my life, no matter how depressing it has become.” Although, lately, things were starting to look up.  
Harry chuckled and turned to face Draco. “You hungry?” he asked with a small smile still on his face. 

Draco’s breath hitched as he saw Potter’s face clearly for the first time without his glasses. The sun from the window made his eyes shine brighter than he’d ever seen, and for some reason, that was causing a weird sensation throughout his body. He had to swallow before responding. “Yeah, we should probably get something to eat soon. I can’t have you starving to death, or people might have something else to hate me for.” 

Potter’s smile faded after the joke, and Draco immediately regretted saying it. Thankfully, Potter didn’t comment on it. Instead, he said, “Do you mind if we eat with Ron and Hermione? I’d like to see them again. It’s been a while.” 

Draco chuckled and responded, “Potter, it’s just been a few days, I think you’ll live.”

Potter laughed, but his eyes were still pleading. Draco rolled his. “Fine, Potter…. But don’t expect me to be pleasant around your mangey friends.” 

Even with the insult, Potter’s face brightened. “I don’t think I’ve ever expected you to be pleasant” he responded, jokingly. 

Draco cocked an amused eyebrow at him. “Very funny,” he said sarcastically, yet feeling pleased that he could give Potter this one thing after he’d helped him the night before. He was still completely unsure what to think about the pleasant conversations he’d been having with Potter, but he guessed it was actually kind of nice to finally have someone to talk to. It’d been so long since he’d been able to really converse with someone other than his mother, so he wasn’t really in any position to turn this down. He knew he could also trust Potter to keep things out of the press, so maybe Potter was right. Maybe their new situation was more of a blessing than a curse. He’d have to wait and find out, but his current belief was that this could potentially help him, and he finally opened up to the idea of really working with Potter through this situation instead of biding his time. Maybe friendship wasn’t in the question, but they could at least be cordial.   
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
They walked into the Great Hall and noticed Granger and her Weasel already eating at the Gryffindor table. Draco realised then that by agreeing to eat with Potter and his friends, he’d also agreed to eat with the other Gryffindors. He scowled at the thought, but luckily, the room wasn’t dreadfully crowded as it normally is for suppers there.

Potter looked at him and understood what he was thinking. “Don’t worry, Draco. If you don’t bite, they won’t.”

Suddenly, Draco longed for the comfort of their room where he could live away from prying eyes. “Like I said, Potter. Don’t expect me to be pleasant.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Potter responded, already making his way to his friends. Draco rolled his eyes and reluctantly followed. 

Granger’s eyes brightened when she saw them. “Harry. Draco. We were wondering when you’d finally join us here. C’mon, grab a seat.” She motioned to the seats in front of her and the Weasel, and they both sat down. “So, how have you guys been getting along?”

Draco wasn’t much interested in participating in the conversation, so he just listened as Potter did. “Well, actually Hermione, I think things are going much better now that we're getting used to dealing with this situation. We’ve even made decent progress on our Potions work,” he said as he filled his plate mainly with meats, Draco noticed. If they were in their room alone, Draco would have commented then and there, but he made a mental note of it so he could bring it up later. 

“Oh, really? Ronald and I are struggling to get the potion just right. We haven’t yet attempted combining it with the charm. It’s frustrating really.” Her eyebrows furrowed as the thought plagued her.

“Well, Draco is brilliant with Potions, so we have the brew down. For some reason, we cannot get the charm and the potion to work together. The potion acts like it wants to accept the charm, but then it rejects it at the last second. I believe infuriating is the proper word for this situation, especially when I so desperately need an O.” He was basically shoveling food in his mouth at this point, and while his bad manners sort of grossed Draco out, it was still amusing to see. He chuckled slightly but regretted it when it had caught the attention of the Weasel. He hadn’t noticed until now, but the ginger-haired boy had been scowling at him since he’d entered the room. 

“Something funny, Malfoy?” He grimaced at the blond and shoved another forkful of food into his mouth, not breaking eye contact with him.

“Wouldn’t you like to know, Weasel?” He smirked at the boy, knowing full well it would only make the situation worse, but he couldn’t help himself. He started cutting up his ham smugly, which apparently made the ginger lose his shit. He stood up quickly and pointed his finger at Draco. Draco calmly sat down his fork and knife and folded his arms awaiting a reply. 

“I know this is somehow your fault, Malfoy. This is just another one of your schemes to get to Harry, and I’ll not stand for it!” He lunged forward and placed both hands on the table. His face was inches away from Draco’s. 

Suddenly he was thrust back down to a seated position by Granger. “Ronald, what has gotten into you? We were both there. We saw what happened. This is no more Draco’s fault that it was Harry’s! Honestly, Ronald.” She gave him an incredulous look.

“Hermoine, it’s Malfoy. How can you not think he’s got something to do with this?” he said trying to be persuasive. 

Based on Granger’s facial expression, she wasn’t buying it. Once again, Draco admired her cleverness. “In case you’ve forgotten, Ronald, the war has ended. Now is a time for new beginnings. It’s not the time to bring up old vendettas. It’s time you recognised that.” She repositioned her napkin in her lap and continued eating. The Weasel didn’t say anything more, but he refused to stop glaring at Draco, which the blond happily ignored. 

They ate for a few moments before Potter chimed in again. “Have you all seen Ginny? How is she?” 

The question struck Draco as odd. He’d thought Potter wanted nothing to do with her anymore. He felt a small pang but chose not to acknowledge it or even look up and let on that he was interested. Keeping his eyes on his food, he listened carefully to the reply. 

He heard Granger sigh. “She’s still heartbroken, Harry, but that goes without saying.”

It was Potter’s turn to sigh. “I just feel awful leading her on like that. I wish I had everything sorted with myself before I let things escalate between us.” He felt Potter shift uncomfortably beside him, but he still didn’t look up.

“Harry, it’s not a typical situation, even in the wizarding world, so no one could blame you for trying to figure things out.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still feel guilty.” Potter crammed another large piece of meat in his mouth.

“Right, mate,” Weasel said in reply in a completely different mood than he was just moments before. “But should you be talking about this in front of... him? He said, motioning toward Draco.   
This really spiked Draco’s curiosity, and he, once again, put down his utensils and listened carefully. 

Potter shrugged, “He might as well know now. It’s not really fair to keep it from him since we’ll be sharing space for the foreseeable future.”

Draco rolled his eyes. “Could you guys stop talking about me as if I’m not sitting right in front of you?”He turned to Potter. “What is it that I need to know?” He crossed his arms and waited patiently for a reply.

Potter gave him a reluctant look. “Promise you won’t get mad?”

Draco scoffed, “I’m not promising anything, Potter. What is it?”

Potter wrung his hands together as a sign of his nervousness. “I… uh.” He looked up at Draco again and hesitated. 

“Get on with it, Potter. We’re not leaving here now until ---.” 

“Draco, I’m attracted to men.” He cut him off and looked down at his food, obviously not wanting to see how Draco reacted. 

Draco’s mouth fell open and he turned to rest his elbows on the tables as his head rested in his hands while he processed the information. 

 

Potter... gay? How could he be? There was never any indication…. He sat up straighter but kept staring down at the table. Why was he reacting this way? It’s not like he’d never met a gay man before. His emotions were all over the place, and none of this made sense to him. 

Suddenly, Draco stood up and started walking to the exit. Potter was scrambling to get to his feet and follow. With this new information in his brain, he had forgotten about what would happen if he and Potter didn’t stay in close proximity, and he made his war further away from the boy who was doing his best to catch up but was unsuccessful. As Draco turned the last corner to their room, he heard Potter shout after him, but he ignored it and began running. It’s not that he was angry with Potter; he just needed his space to process things. 

It wasn’t until he was thrust through the air that he remembered their situation. He landed and experienced a great deal of pain once more. This time, he’d landed with his back on top of Potter’s legs in a very uncomfortable position. He rolled off of the boy causing both of them to groan at the pain it caused. 

They lay there for a moment, regaining their composure when they heard footsteps getting nearer. “Harry, are you okay?” he heard Weasel say. “Are you daft, Malfoy?” He was helping Potter sit up, and he brushed off his robes. 

Granger actually made her way over to Draco to help him up, but he pushed away her helpful hands. He still wasn’t ready to accept the help of a Gryffindor, especially Granger. Instead, he slowly stood up and stared Potter in the face. He was in a great deal of pain, but he couldn’t bear to be there any longer, so he stood in front of their door and waited for Potter to join him. He was desperate to get back into the privacy of their room. 

Potter seemingly understood and shook away Granger and Weasel as they tried to help. “Just give us some time, okay?” he heard him say. His face scrunched in pain as he walked toward Draco. Then, he nodded apologetically to his friends before grabbing Draco’s hand and pressing it into the wall before before pulling him into their room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my mind, Harry wasn't given time to explore his sexuality until after the war. Sure, he had a "crush" on Cho during 5th year, but honestly, what gay person didn't pretend to have a crush on a person of the opposite sex when they were younger? 
> 
> So, I picture Ginny attempting to get intimate with Harry one night at the Burrow, but Harry couldn't get aroused. This led him to question whether or not he was even attracted to girls. Then, through several weeks of exploration and experimentation, Harry finally realised he was gay. 
> 
> I still can't figure out how to write this into the story, but I thought it was important information for you to know so I included it here.


	11. Nobody Reads "The Quibbler," Potter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco deals with the new information Potter has provided him, and Harry reveals something to Draco that eases some of his worries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have rewritten this chapter so many times! It wasn't going in the direction I wanted it to, and it still isn't, but I think I've gotten it to a place where I can work with it in future chapters. I have a good idea of what I want to happen later, the characters that I want to bring in, and the situations our boys will find themselves in, but it's taking me a lot longer to get there than I originally planned. Plus, I just started a second job on top of my full-time job, so my time has just gotten more limited. I will finish, but I may not be able to update as regularly as I have been. 
> 
> Also, you can follow me at http://talesfromanuntoldstory.tumblr.com/ to see story updates.

Draco walked over to the sofa, pulling Harry with him with their still linked hands. He let go after they were both seated next to each other. Honestly, Draco didn’t want to be near anyone at that moment, but his body ached less the closer Potter was, so that’s the way it was going to be. Slowly, the pain faded and he was able to redirect his thoughts to the news Potter had just broken to him. They sat silently for several moments. Draco was leaning his head back and staring at the ceiling while Potter sat staring at the floor, wringing his hands together nervously. 

“Draco, I need you to know something,” Potter said, breaking the silence. 

 

Draco gave a small, “Hmph,” and allowed Potter to continue. 

“I would have never told you, but seeing as last night was….. Well… you know.” 

 

Draco looked up this time, ignoring the pain in his neck. “Potter, honestly, I know you’re not trying to shag me if that’s what you’re on about.” He honestly believed that, but he found himself getting more and more worked up anyway.

Harry didn’t look at him but responded anyway, “Okay… I just thought... The way you just reacted--”

“Potter, don’t you fucking try to tell me I’m overreacting here,” he said, raising his voice a bit and clenching his fists. He stood and leaned against his hand, which gripped at the mantle above the fireplace. “Obviously, I need time to process this.” He was facing away from Potter, not really knowing how to react. 

Thoughts were circling around in Draco’s head so quickly that he couldn’t voice them all, so he started with the one that stood out the most. “How long have you known?” He bit his bottom lip subconsciously. 

Harry gave him a confused look. “Not long, I suppose, but what does that matter?” 

“Because it matters, Potter!” he said as he turned to face the boy and throwing his clenched fists down to his sides. “Do you know what people will say about me when this gets out? Do you know how much more this is going to hurt my reputation?”

Suddenly, Potter looked angry. He stood up as well and stepped closer to Draco. “That’s rich, Malfoy! It’s my reputation on the line, and I’m the one people will mock and torment. But here you are making it all about yourself… this is so typical of you, Draco.” He sighed heavily and stared at Draco for a moment before turning to walk toward the window. He looked out it and crossed his arms, showing his frustration. 

“Why shouldn’t I be making this about me right now? You could bloody well rob Gringotts this very instant, and the Daily Prophet would somehow turn it into a story about how you took what you rightfully deserved from the rest of the wizarding world for your heroism! You can do no wrong in their eyes! It seems I’m the only one who can see the annoying git that you are!.... And with this situation,” He motioned toward Potter and himself, “... people are going to assume that I somehow did this to you. They’re going to turn on me even more than they already have.”

Potter turned back around to face him. “Malfoy, that doesn’t make any sense! Why would they possibly believe--”

“BECAUSE YOU’RE BLOODY, FUCKING ATTACHED TO ME!....” he sat down, laid his elbows on his knees, and rested his head in his hands. “People will… I don’t know… think I planned all of this as a last chance of revenge a Death Eater could do for Voldemort… or something!” Okay, so he knew that wasn’t the greatest example, but he hoped he was making his point. 

Draco still had his head in his hands when he heard Potter laughing. He looked up and saw that, yes, Potter was laughing at him. He stood up, stomped over to Potter, grabbed him by the shirt, and pushed him forcefully up against the window. “It this a joke to you, Potter? You think I---”

“Relax, Draco,” Potter said grabbing his arm with a gentle grip, but Draco didn’t back down. In fact, he gripped tighter and pushed Potter harder into the window, but he was at a loss for words. He was so angry that he’d rendered himself speechless.

Potter rolled his eyes, still smiling. “Have you read this month’s ‘Quibbler’?” He cocked an amused eyebrow at him.

Draco relaxed a bit after that because the question was so random, but he did not let Potter go. “Nobody actually reads “The Quibbler,’ Potter. It’s full of the nonsensical ramblings of Loony Lovegood.”

“Well…” He looked as if he wanted to protest that, but they both knew Draco had a point. “Okay, yes, I suppose you’re right about that. However, the photos in it can expose some very real things” He forced Draco’s hand away, and this time Draco reluctantly let him. Then, he walked over to his wardrobe and started digging around in one of the drawers. 

Draco was still incredibly angry, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. Potter was acting so strangely that he figured he would at least hear the boy out before he did something rash. He followed Potter to the wardrobe and waited behind him impatiently. Suddenly, Potter pulled out a fairly recent copy of the magazine that was already opened to the page Potter wanted him to see. Potter gave it to him, and Draco rolled his eyes and snatched it roughly from the other boy’s hands. 

The page was an ex·po·sé on wrackspurts and there were several photographs of people in public places. Some of the people’s faces had been enlarged or circled to point out the “confusion” these creatures were claimed to cause. It appeared to be a completely unnoteworthy publication of the magazine. “Potter, what the hell do wrackspurts had to do with anything?”

Potter chuckled again, and this both intrigued and angered Draco at the same time. “No, Draco. Look in the alleyway of the picture in the bottom-right corner of the page. You’ll find it .. for lack of a better word, ‘enlightening.’” 

Draco did as he was told, and he saw the intended targets of the photo just walking down Diagon Alley. There was one enlarged face and another one that was circled, but beyond them in a seemingly vacant alleyway, two figures could be seen kissing. They were standing in a spot that would have been out of sight for the people on the streets, but since the photo was taken from what appeared to the second floor of a building, the kissing couple could easily be seen. Draco’s mouth fell open and his anger was replaced with shock. One figure had his back to the camera, so it wasn’t obvious who it had been. The other figure, though, was unmistakably Harry Potter. His world- famous scar was on full display as the other boy’s hand was running through his thick curls, revealing it. 

Draco looked up at Potter, not really knowing how to respond. “Why hasn’t the ‘Prophet’ been all over this?” he asked, still in utter shock.

Potter laughed again, “Well, it’s like you said, Draco. No one reads ‘The Quibbler.’ They haven’t since the war ended. Plus, anyone who does read it probably wouldn’t have noticed us unless they were specifically looking for it because we are so far in the background.” He grabbed the magazine back from Draco and looked at it for a second before he placed it back in the drawer. “This was during my experimental phase, and Eddie seemed to be as good of a test subject as any.” He shrugged his shoulders and turned back toward Draco. 

“Right,” Draco replied still letting all of this new information settle in his brain. He stepped back and thought for a moment before fully responding. Slowly, his anger returned because this did nothing to help his situation. “Potter, I fail to see how this helps me out. People are still going to think I’ve cursed you or something.” He crossed his arms to show he was still angry. 

“That’s assuming people are going to find out, Draco.” He cocked another eyebrow at him. “Are you going to tell them?” He folded his arms too, matching Draco’s stance. 

“Don’t be ridiculous, Potter. Of course not!” He scoffed and turned to walk over to the window. 

“Then we should have nothing to worry about. Besides, even if people did find out, that picture can be used as proof you didn’t ‘turn me gay’ or whatever it is that you’re worried about.” Draco heard the drawer open and close again. He heard Potter chuckle and felt him join him by the window. “Look, I’ll even let you keep this issue. I’m sure Hermione has another one stashed somewhere that I could replace that one with.” Potter offered the magazine to him, and he took it because... Well, why not? 

Potter continued, “I’m actually very surprised that you don’t seem to be angry about me being gay, rather you are angry that people might think you had something to do with it. It’s interesting really.”

“Listen, Potter,” he said, turning to face him. He sighed and continued, “Look, don’t expect me to jump for joy at the fact you’re an admitted homosexual, but that fact doesn’t exactly put me off either. I mean, lots of people are gay.” His breath hitched a little when Potter’s green eyes looked into his, but he was able to continue with an almost unnoticeable hesitation. “I am well aware that you’d never be attracted to the likes of me, so I’m not even worried about our situation from last night because I can’t be, especially since we both know sleeping is easier to manage the closer we are… What I am worried about is more surprises like this. I mean, we’ve known each other since we were eleven, but we don’t really know each other at all. If you know what I’m saying.” 

Potter sighed at that. “Yes, I think I do Draco.” 

Draco thought for a second. If they were ever going to make it through this situation together, they were really going to have to know more about each other. The blatantly false gossip he’d been hearing all throughout their lives was proving itself to be wildly inaccurate, so he needed to get down to the bottom of things himself. He gave Potter what he hoped was a fierce yet indifferent expression and spoke in a calm voice to hide his concern. “I think it’s high time we talked.”

“Draco, we talk to each other all the time,” Potter responded imprudently. 

“No, Potter. I mean, I think it’s time we laid everything out on the table. Everything I know about you comes from gossip or the Daily Prophet, and I’m one-hundred percent sure you’re notions of me are quite inaccurate.”

Potter looked like he wanted to protest that last bit, but Draco gave him a glare that made him think twice about speaking. 

Draco nodded toward the lake out the window. “Let’s take a walk, Potter. We could both use the air and the exercise, and we have a bit of ‘clearing the air’ to do ourselves.” 

Potter exhaled deeply as if he’d been holding his breath since they’d returned to their room. He got up without looking Draco in the eye, and they walked out the door.


	12. Getting to Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys get to know a little more about each other, and maybe even gain some common ground. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter" or any of the characters. That honour belongs to the queen, J.K. Rowling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a shorter chapter, but it is still pretty cute. I hope you like it!

The cool, Autumn breeze was refreshing for Draco, to say the least. He’d calmed down quite a bit in the time it took to walk from their room to the spot they stood in now by the lake. He’d missed walking out on the edge of the water and watching as the creatures within went about their lives. Sometimes he’d get a good view of a merperson or the squid, but usually, he just watched as birds swooped down to collect fish for their meals. With Potter there now, he wasn’t able to fully lose himself in thought, but it was still nice none the less. 

Draco decided he should speak first, but he hadn’t planned out what to say. He didn’t want to start with the obvious, so, therefore, the only thing he could think of was, “You eat a lot of meat during meals.” It was an odd statement that he’d really meant as a question. However, he was still curious to know more about the other boy, and that seemed as good as a place to start as any. 

Potter stopped for a second, surprised at the statement. “Is that a question or just a keen observation?”

Draco cocked up an eyebrow as a warning but remained facing ahead as they continued walking. “Both, I suppose.” 

Potter sighed, “I guess… Well, when I was younger, my cousin liked to take food off my plate. Usually, he took the meat and left me the sides. I suppose I’m making up for it now…” He scratched the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed. 

“Did they really not know who you were?” He was still coming to terms with the fact that Harry Potter, the boy wonder, had grown up in a home where not only was he raised by clueless muggles, he’d lived the first eleven years of his life not knowing who he was or how important he was in the wizarding world. Now that Potter informed him that he was also not treated well, his whole view of the boy was challenged. 

He thought about it for a moment and then responded, “I don’t think they had the capability of fully understanding who I was or the situation my parents died in, but even if they did, they wouldn’t have cared. I was nothing more than a nuisance to them from the start… an inconvenience they were forced to deal with. They wanted nothing to do with magic, and they tried everything in their power to keep me from it.” He knelt down to pick up a stone and then he hurled it into the water and watched as it skipped 3 times before disappearing below the surface. 

Draco wanted to say something but was unable to think of the words. For the first time, he was seeing Potter through different eyes. He’d gotten lost in his own thought, and realized too late that Potter had continued speaking.

“...when Sirius came along, I thought I’d finally be free of them.” He picked up another stone and threw it. This time, it only skipped twice. “He was the closest thing I’ve ever had to a father,” he said standing up and watching as the squid made her appearance on the far side of the lake. 

Draco suddenly felt sorry for Potter. He doubted if it would have changed things between them if he’d known this growing up, but knowing it now was different. There was so much history between them, and now that he had been given the chance to get to know Potter better, he was beginning to understand him. He began walking again as the other boy followed beside him. “Did you have to go back there every summer?” he asked, not knowing what else to say. “... to your aunt and uncle’s that is?” 

Potter smiled, “No. The Weasley’s took me in, which makes the situation with Ginny even more difficult to swallow.” 

Draco didn’t want to push it further since it was obviously an uncomfortable conversation for Potter. However, they needed to get everything “out on the table” so that there were no more surprises. “So, I guess I now know why the Weaselette is having trouble accepting your break up.” 

Potter winced at the name but didn’t comment on it. “She’s more upset at the fact that she believes she ‘turned me gay.’” He used air quotes on that last bit. 

Draco chuckled at that comment. “What an absurd thing to believe.” He looked over at Potter to see that his face was a bright shade of pink. “It’s not like you chose to favor men any more than I chose the family I was born into.” He couldn't believe it, but had he just indirectly defended Potter? 

Potter ran his hand through his hair, getting it stuck in a curl for a second. “Yeah, I tried explaining that, but she doesn't see it.” He stopped walking and Draco turned to look at him. “You’re really not bothered that you have to stay with me?”

Draco laughed again, “Potter, I can definitely tell you that I am most certainly bothered that we have to stay together, but not for those reasons.” Potter exhaled, looking relieved. 

It was Potter’s turn to laugh. “I figured you’d hex me into oblivion once you found out, but I also thought it wouldn’t be fair to not tell you… I’m glad we’re able to remain mature about all this.” 

“For once, I agree with you. There wouldn’t be much I could do about it anyway.” He looked up to see the other boy smiling at him, and it was everything he could do to not smile back, but he refused to give in so easily. Instead, he picked a new topic. “So, who is this Eddie bloke? He’s obviously not in the picture anymore.” 

“Draco, did you really not recognize him? That was Eddie Carmichael. He was at Hogwarts with us.” 

Then the realization hit, “You mean you snogged the guy who got caught trying to sell that ‘Brain Elixir’ or whatever it was?” He laughed a bit at that. “You couldn’t find a better test subject?” 

Potter grunted, “Hey, that’s not fair. How many gay people do you know, Draco? He was there, I was curious, and the opportunity presented itself. It was very educational for me.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, looking a little embarrassed. 

Draco laughed, “Right… ‘educational.’”

“Draco, don’t be a prat! At least I figured it out before I was 50 like some people… and not many people have their ‘realisation’ moment captured in a photo, so that’s interesting.” He quickened his pace as if to try to keep his bright red face from being seen. 

“Wait... “ Draco stopped walking to try and get Potter to turn around and face him, but Potter just stopped without turning. “You mean that photo captured the exact moment you realised you were gay? How’d you even find it?” 

“Yeah, let’s just say that Eddie is a really good kisser, and Hermione has too much time on her hands.” Potter finally turned toward him but kept his eyes on the ground. “Why are we only talking about me? I thought we were both supposed to be “laying things all out on the table.” 

It was Draco’s turn to feel uncomfortable. He turned around and began walking back toward the castle, and Potter followed, catching up to him quickly. “There’s not much to say really.” Most of my baggage was revealed when they forced the veritaserum on me in the Ministry.

“C’mon, Draco. I’ve told you so much. You have to give me something.”

Draco thought for a moment before responding. He hated talking about himself, but it was his idea. Before he could speak, Potter chimed in again, “I know it’s a touchy subject, but how’s your mum doing? It must be hard on her now that… well, now that your father--”

“Don’t..” he said, cutting him off. “I’m not ready to talk about him just yet.” He looked at Potter and the boy gave him a nod that said he understood. He continued walking and responded when he’d found the right words. “My mother is taking things a day at a time. She’s trying out different hobbies and keeping to herself in the Manor…. It’s hard for her to go out in public. She’s not ready to face the world just yet. Honestly, I don’t know if she’ll ever be ready.” 

Potter mulled it over in his head for a moment. “I guess that’s understandable…” He stopped speaking, but Draco knew him well enough by now to recognise that there was more he’d like to say, but he was contemplating whether or not he should say it. 

“Potter, what is it?”

The boy stopped walking and faced him directly. “It’s just… Well, it’s just she hasn’t even tried to contact you. We’ve been stuck like this for what? Three weeks now? I just figured she’d have come to visit, or at least written you a letter.” 

Draco guessed it would have been hard for someone like Potter to understand his mother and his’ relationship. It’s not that his mother didn’t care about him. Of course, she cared. However, his mother distrusted sending anything by mail and she’d not left the house since her trial ended. She was constantly depressed and couldn’t even bring herself to get out of bed some days. Draco didn’t know how to explain all of that to Potter. “It’s complicated, Potter. She’s just… well, it’s not that she doesn’t care. That’s really all I can tell you. Her story is hers to tell.” Draco began walking again and realized that they were almost back to the castle. Instead of waiting for a reply, he said, “Alright. Enough, Potter. We sill have a few hours before dinner. Let’s go see if we can get my potion to work with your charm. I refuse to be defeated by one of Slughorn’s inane assignments.” 

Harry chuckled, “Just because you haven’t figured it out yet, doesn’t mean it’s ‘inane.’” Hearing Potter laugh helped to change his own mood, which he actually welcomed. He’d grown tired of the negative mood swings he’d been going through all day. It was exhausting, and he decided enough was enough. Being with Potter wasn’t actually as bad as he thought it was going to be, and since it was impossible to change the situation, he’d better start accepting it. 

“Potter, have you just heard yourself? When am I, Draco Malfoy, one of the wealthiest wizards in all the land, ever going to need to know how to do construction?” He shook his head and shoved his hands in his pockets as they traveled back to the castle. He tried, unsuccessfully, to sound annoyed. 

“You never know, Malfoy. There may be one day you’ll need to build another addition to the Manor, “ Potter responded smiling, obviously understanding that Draco’s mood had improved. 

“Don’t be silly, Potter. There are people for that.” He said, unable to hide a smirk, but he refused to look at the other boy and reveal it. They opened the door to the castle and walked inside. 

His sudden good mood perplexed him, seeing as how he’d just had one of the strangest afternoons of his life, but he didn’t allow himself to push the feeling away. Sure, he was still very confused about the whole ‘Potter being gay’ thing, but it wasn’t the worst news he’d ever received. In fact, he didn’t find the news to be bad in any way… It just changed his perspective on a few things. But he had plenty of time to sort out his thoughts. Right now, for the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to be content, even in the presence of his long-time enemy.


	13. An Uncomfortable Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say that the human body reacts to things in very interesting ways.

Two weeks had passed since their walk by the lake. Autumn was turning into Winter, and the Christmas holiday was rapidly approaching, which meant exams were also approaching.

During these two weeks, Draco allowed one meal every few days to be eaten with the Weasel and Granger as long as the Weasel promised to behave. Usually, they’d eat lunch together when the dining area wasn’t completely filled with students and teachers. They’d tried eating together for dinner once, but Draco was hexed by another Gryffindor who didn’t appreciate a Slytherin intruding. Even the Weasel stood up for him before he remembered that he was supposed to hate Draco... They figured they’d better stick to lunches together to avoid further incidents. 

In all the confusion, Draco had fallen seriously behind in Herbology and spent several days fighting a particularly stubborn mass of orange fungi and mixing it with a potion to create the sedative Professor Sprout had assigned them to create. Because he looked so glum when he’d turned in his medicine along with his detailed scroll covering the process, as a cruel joke, Sprout then tasked him with growing Alihotsy (the Hyena Tree) because maybe then he’d actually “gain a smile or two”.

He hated Herbology. However, by having him get the tree start, he was able to swipe several other succulents to help decorate his flat, so there was that.

His other classes were of little interest to him, and they were hardly taxing. Defense Against the Dark Arts was the only class he’d passed the previous year, for obvious reasons, so he didn’t even have that to look forward to. Therefore, he focused mainly on growing the stupid, laugh-inducing tree and his Potions project that was due the Monday of the following week, just in time to begin preparing for exams. 

Their potion was working better with the charm, but it still wouldn’t permanently bind structures together when it was used with the mortar. There was no logical explanation for why it wasn’t working. They’d completed every instruction perfectly, and even Granger couldn’t figure out their error. Both Draco and Potter were seriously starting to worry about their grade in Slughorn’s class. Often, they found themselves working late into the night attempting to make it work, but each time was unsuccessful. 

Late Friday evening, after what seemed like their millionth attempt at it, Potter kicked over a chair to show his frustration. “AARRG!! This stupid, fucking potion is never going to work!” He walked over to the wall, sat down next to it, and rested his head on the stone, looking at the ceiling. “Maybe I’m just not cut out to be a healer.” 

Normally, Draco would have cracked a joke that was in agreeance with the statement, but he was too tired that night. At least, no he knew why Potter needed an ‘O’ so badly. Of course, Potter wanted to be a Healer. Where else could he be in a situation where he could save lives on a daily basis? Even Aurors didn’t get that kind of action. Instead of cracking a joke, he said, “Potter, let’s just go to bed. We can clean all this up in the morning.” He walked over to his bed and began stripping his clothes off. He did not notice the other boy watching him as he did so. Once in his pajama bottoms, he hopped into bed and left the blankets open for Potter to join. 

They didn’t sleep in the same bed every night. Only when they were feeling particularly tired of the constant tugging of energies did Draco allow Potter to join him, and on this night, he definitely needed some extra relief. They’d been quarreling the past several hours on different techniques to use when attempting the bind, but none of them were successful, and Draco was no longer in the mood to fight with him.

When he heard Potter getting into his own bed he got irritated. “Potter, what are you doing?” he asked without turning over. “You know as well as I do that neither one of us will get any sleep unless you get over here.” 

Potter hesitated before answering. “I-- I don’t think I can tonight, Draco.” 

This time, Draco did turn over. He sat up and looked at the boy, and that one look was all it took for him to understand what was going on. He scanned his eyes over the boy and noticed his flushed cheeks, his awkward sitting position, and the way he used his duvet to cover his nether region. “Potter, you can’t be serious! Your raging hormones would react to anything! What set you off this time?” He said it as if it had happened before, but it certainly hadn’t.

Potter sat awkwardly in his bed, hiding the bulge underneath the duvet. “I don’t think you want to know the answer to that.” He looked down at his cover and closed his eyes tightly, probably trying to think of disgusting things.

Suddenly, realisation struck. “Oh, for Merlin’s sake, Potter! You mean I can’t even change in front of you anymore without you getting all excitable? Will anything turn you on?” He motioned toward Potter’s situation but immediately regretted it because of the feeling he got in his stomach after seeing it.

“Sorry, Draco. It’s just that you’re--”

“Go take a cold shower.” He cut Potter off before he could finish that sentence. He flopped back down into the bed, hitting his pillow hard enough to knock loose a few feathers. He turned to face the wall again but left the covers open.

“You still want me to join you?” Potter said, sounding apprehensive. 

The real answer to that question was no, but Draco was getting more and more tired from fighting the constant tug of their energies, so he knew that there was no way he’d get any sleep if Potter was to stay in his own bed. He turned over, “Why the bloody hell not? Potter, it’s not like you’re going to try anything, especially with me… “ He tried sounding indifferent and annoyed. 

Potter’s face was still scrunched up in both confusion and concern.

“Fine, Potter…” He grabbed one of his extra pillows and stuffed it beside him to create a barrier. “... is this better? Think you can hand yourself now?” He fluffed up his own pillow, rolled over, and stared at the wall.

Potter stared deeply at his covers. “Right… right. I- I guess I’ll go take a shower.” He got out of his bed, making sure to face away from Draco and disappeared into the bathroom, and Draco became more uncomfortable the further Potter traveled away from him. 

However, the time apart gave Draco enough time to think, and he really should be more bothered with Potter’s inappropriate reaction to him undressing. However, he found it rather pleasing. He figured it was nice that someone appreciated the way he looked, even if it was Potter. He wasn’t even going to acknowledge the fact that he’d not seemed to care at all that another male found him attractive. That wasn’t something he could add to his current things to worry about. That list was already full. 

Moments later, Draco felt Potter tuck himself in next to him. The obviously uncomfortable boy was doing his best to not make physical contact with Draco, so when the other boy finally found a comfortable position on his side, Draco closed the distance between them and pressed the bottom of his foot up against Potter’s leg to hopefully get as much relief from the tugging energies as possible. Potter tensed up for a moment at the contact, but then he relaxed and they were able to fall asleep.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Draco awoke the next morning, his right arm was tingling from lack of circulation. He went to move it, but something was blocking him. He opened his eyes and discovered Potter was nestled comfortably on his arm with his head resting on Draco’s shoulder. The barrier pillow had somehow made its way to the floor, and the boys were in full contact. He examined the situation further and discovered that Harry’s right leg was positioned over his left leg, and his arm was wrapped around Draco’s torso with his hand resting on Draco’s chest. The front of Potter’s body was pressed up against Draco’s side.

Draco only resisted the urge to jump out of bed that instant in utter shock because he’d actually been quite comfortable with the exception of his arm falling asleep. Also, he didn’t want to alert Potter to the situation, which would only make it awkward. Instead, he slowly tried moving his arm out from under Potter’s head. Then he took Potter’s arm and gently placed it as the boy’s side. Untwining their legs was going to be a harder task. He moved his leg that was under Potter’s ever so slightly, and suddenly, the boy rolled over so that his back was to Draco. 

Draco exhaled in relief. He was so thankful that he didn’t have to see the reaction of Potter if he’d woken up basically clutching him. He slid carefully out of bed, trying not to wake Potter, and he went to take a shower and get ready for the day. It was Saturday again and Draco wanted to get some fresh air before they’d have to come back in and work on their project more. 

As he showered, he couldn’t help but think of being so intertwined with Potter. He pictured the other boy’s black curls against his pale skin again and the feeling of hot breath on his chest. He found himself missing the contact of Potter’s chest on his side and Potter’s cold toes touching his leg. Their bodies had fit so perfectly together that if it wasn’t for his arm falling asleep, he’d probably never have noticed. 

Draco was shaken from his thoughts when he heard the door to the bathroom open. Even though the curtain was closed to the shower, he turned to face the wall to avoid being seen. 

“Sorry, Draco, but it’s an emergency.” He heard Potter say before he began relieving himself in the toilet, but that was not what was bothering him at the moment.

When he’d turned to face the wall, he discovered a situation in his nether region. It’d been so long since he’d felt the familiar sensation, and it embarrassed him now that thought of Potter (of all people) was the source of his arousal. 

After a few moments, and Potter was washing his hands in the sink before he spoke again. “You okay, Draco?... Sorry about the intrusion, but I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“I-It’s fine, Potter. Now, go away so I can finish getting ready.” He tried not to sound nervous or embarrassed, and he hoped he had succeeded. 

“Sorry, Draco,” he said as he shut the door and left. 

Now that Draco was alone with his “situation,” he began pondering what to do about it. If he gave in and took care of it, wouldn’t that mean he’d pleasured himself to the likes of Potter? He thought for a moment, getting lost, once again, in his thoughts of Potter’s body being pressed up against his own. His hand traveled down and wrapped itself around his arousal. 

Suddenly, his head snapped up, and he pressed both hands firmly against the wall while resting his forehead there between them. He stayed like that a few moments, breathing heavily. “No,” he decided finally and turned the knobs to cold so he could “get rid” of his problem. 

He’d forgotten his change of clothes in his wardrobe so he wrapped himself in his towel after spelling himself dry, and he went to go brush his teeth. When he got to the sink, he bent over and leaned on it and stared at himself in the mirror. He hadn’t thought about how attractive he was to other people in a really long time, but Potter’s situation made him curious again. He studied himself now to gain a better perspective. His hair was touching his shoulders now, but it had a nice, seemingly tousled wave, unlike his father’s pristine and straight hair. His grey eyes were large and fierce. And since he didn’t get a lot of exercise anymore, the definition in his muscles was only just visible. At least, he’d not lost all his definition in his weeks attached to Potter he thought to himself. Maybe he could convince the other boy to exercise with him every now and then to regain what he’d lost. 

Upon further inspection of himself, he noticed his strong jawline and the “scruff” (as his mother called it) on his face. He’d made sure to shape it and keep it clean cut, but he liked the way the “scruff” made him look less posh. It made him feel like people didn’t judge him as much for being inherently wealthy. His pale skin allowed the veins in his arms to be seen, but it did nothing to help conceal the pink scar tissue that remained on his chest. How anyone could think him attractive with these was beyond him. He found himself tracing the lines as he got lost in the memory of the night he’d received them.

After a few moments, he shook himself from his thoughts, not wanting to relive that night anymore. Of course, Potter was going to have to go through the same recovery process as he did, so he imagined that wasn’t the last time he’d be reminded of that night.

Suddenly, he heard three soft knocks on the door. 

“Draco, I noticed you’d forgotten a change of clothes. I-I hope you don’t mind, but I picked some out for you so that you could change in there instead of out here,” the muffled sounds of Potter’s voice still contained a bit of nervousness as he likely didn’t know if he was doing something that would piss Draco off. 

Draco laughed and figured Potter was just trying to avoid another situation like the one from the previous night. He walked over to the door and opened it, allowing Potter to get a full view of him in his towel. He did this partly because he thought it would make Potter uncomfortable and partly because he was actually curious to see the other boy’s reaction. 

He was not disappointed. 

As soon as he opened the door, Potter’s breath hitched, and he watched as his green eyes scanned his naked torso. Just as quickly though, his eyes snapped up to catch Draco’s, and Draco noticed he looked like he’d been caught doing something he should not have been doing. 

Draco folded his arms and leaned against the doorway. He cocked up one eyebrow, smirked, and spoke, “Still like what you see, Potter?” 

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Potter scowled. “Git,” he responded bitterly while he looked away and handed Draco his clothes. 

Draco laughed, “But apparently a handsome git based on your reaction.” He unfolded his arms and leaned forward just a little further than what was necessary to grab his clothes from Potter. “Thanks,” he said just inches away from Potter’s face, giving the other boy a knowing look as he lingered there for a moment before he closed the door lightly in the stunned face. 

Of course, he didn’t actually believe that Potter fancied him, but he knew all too well how his own hormones used to make him react when he saw something appealing, even if that something was loathsome. He could at least use this new knowledge to his advantage.

“This is going to be fun,” he thought to himself now knowing how he could make Potter feel uncomfortable, while also ignoring the implications that he was going to use his own body to do so. The thought never occurred to him that he was enjoying this far too much. He also wasn't factoring in his own emotions since he’d been so used to suppressing them.

The truth of the matter was that Draco had never thought about his own sexuality. He’d never allowed himself to have crushes because they were childish, and he’d been far too occupied for the last couple years to think of anything other than the war, his societal and familial problems, and his own depression to even consider a relationship with someone. He simply did not know if he could make a solid, human connection with anyone, but messing with Potter was something he was all too familiar with, so he knew he could at least have fun with that. 

He changed quickly into the clothes Potter had given him and noticed the shirt was a bit too snug. Instead of fixing it, he’d make Potter uncomfortable. After all, it was Potter’s fault none of his clothes fit properly anymore. 

He smiled as he made his way out into the common room, ready to begin the familiar task of tormenting the same boy he’d been tormenting for years. And even in this unorthodox situation, all seemed normal again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own "Harry Potter" or any of the characters. However, the situations Potter and Malfoy get themselves into in this story are all mine.


	14. Sliced

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coyle and Gregson are back to poke and prod at the boys when something goes awry.

When he walked into the common room, he discovered that Potter was not alone. To his dismay, Coyle and Gregson were standing there with Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey waiting on him. He stared at Coyle now feeling a twinge of familiarity there. He thought for a moment that he recognised Coyle’s face from somewhere, but he couldn’t place it. Shaking off the thought, he scowled but approached them.

“Oh, good. Mr. Malfoy, you’ve come to join us,” McGonagall said as if he’d had the choice. “Now, boys, Mr. Coyle and Mr. Gregson are here because they think they’ve come up with a method to unbind your energies. I know you’re busy with your studies, but if you’ll allow them, they’d like to attempt that now.” 

Draco walked over and stood next to Potter in front of the fireplace. 

“It doesn’t look like we have much choice in the matter, professor,” he heard Potter say, and this surprised him partially because he’d taken the words right out of his mouth and partially because he’d never expected such a curt response from Potter, especially to McGonagall. 

She gave him a warning look but did not comment. “Mr. Coyle, I have Poppy here just in case anything goes amiss.” She tapped Madame Pomfrey on the shoulder and both women took a seat on the comfy chairs beside them.

Draco didn’t like that they were going to have an audience for this round of poking and prodding, but if something did go wrong, it saved them a trip to the infirmary. He rolled his eyes and watched as the two men drew their wands and approached them.

Coyle started working to reveal Potter’s energy, while Gregson did his. Once again, Potter’s bright yellow energy was visibly attached to Draco’s. However, this time, they could just barely see a small wisp of yellow energy as it floated freely at the edge of the green glow. It looked like a solar flare that was escaping a green sun.

Draco felt relieved at seeing the energy that had detached itself because now he knew their situation wasn’t permanent, but he also felt a bit solemn because he’d gotten quite used to having Potter around to talk to. They were getting along a lot better these days, and even Draco couldn’t deny that. 

Suddenly, Coyle pulled out a small case and opened it, revealing a wand seemingly made from molten rock. It looked as if they’d pulled it straight from a volcano. Draco had never seen anything like it, and judging by the looks on McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey’s faces, they hadn’t either. 

“Just what do you think you’re doing with that?” questioned Draco, trying not to sound nervous. 

Without taking his eyes off the wand, Coyle responded, “Boys, this is what we have named the Magicum Separatum. We’ve been working these last two weeks to develop a wand that can separate your energies, and we think we may have succeeded.” Coyle looked confident, but Gregson seemed to have some doubts. 

Coyle took the wand in his hand and pointed it at the wisp of yellow energy that has already separated itself from Draco’s energy. 

Draco looked over at Potter whose facial expression showed the same nervous concern he was feeling at that moment. “Wait!” he heard himself say, earning him an annoyed look from Coyle. “Will this hurt us?” 

The man sighed but did not lower the wand. “I haven’t a clue, young man. That’s the difficulty of performing magic that’s never been performed before.” He stared intently at the bound energies. 

The response made Draco angry, but before he could clap back, Professor McGonagall chimed in. She stood up quickly and stepped in front of the boys to block Coyle’s view. “You mean to tell me that you are about to perform untested magic on two Hogwarts students? I don’t think I can allow you to do that.” 

Coyle looked annoyed. “Look, your students have gotten themselves into a situation that has never been recorded in history. If we had tested magic to use, we’d use it. As it is, we’ll be the ones testing new methods.” He ran his hand through his curly, brown hair and raised the wand again and motioning with it for McGonagall to move out of his way. 

Draco didn’t like this man’s attitude, but he was right. They’d have to start somewhere if they wanted to be separated, so he closed his eyes and signed deeply, readying himself for whatever was about to happen to him. McGonagall even realised there was nothing else to be done, so she stepped away. 

Suddenly, McGonagall spoke up again just as Coyle was about to cast a spell. “Mr. Malfoy, we should really contact your mother before we begin anything here.” She reached out a concerned hand but was too far away to reach him. 

He appreciated McGonagall’s concern, but they all knew there was really nothing else that could be done. They had to try something to separate their energies, and this was their best option. Besides, Draco promised himself after the war that he’d never let anyone make his decisions for him again, so asking his mother for permission was out of the question. He took a deep breath and responded. “I’m eighteen years old now. I say that we do this… My mother can find out about it later. This decision is not hers to make.” He looked up at McGonagall with fierce eyes, pleading her to let this happen. 

McGonagall took back her hand. “Quite right, Mr. Malfoy,” she said looking more concerned than ever, but she did back off and allow Coyle to reapproach them. 

Draco looked over at Potter who was looking back at him. They nodded to each other in agreeance and then nodded at Coyle to let him know they were ready to begin. 

Coyle raised the wand for the third time and cast the brand new spell, “Et Liberate.” His eyes widened as a strong purple light beamed from just underneath the yellow wisp, it grew brighter for a moment and it seemed as if it was going to work because the yellow wisp of energy grew larger and the green around it started to fade.

Draco couldn’t stop looking at it. He watched as Potter’s energy was being pulled from his own, and it was really quite fascinating to see. 

Suddenly, his moment of fascination was interrupted by Potter’s agonized scream. He looked over to see the boy sprawled out on the ground, clutching his side. There was a pool of blood surrounding him. Draco’s heart dropped. Without thinking, he rushed over and pulled Harry into his arms as he ripped open the boy’s shirt to see he had a deep wound in his left side. It honestly looked like he’d been slashed open with a sword. 

Draco panicked and placed his hand over the wound to try to stop the bleeding, but it was just too large of a gash. Blood was seeping out from underneath his hand, so he tightened his hold while he supported the rest of Potter’s body with his other arm. “It’s going to be okay, Harry. I’ve got you,” he said as he met the other boy’s eyes for a moment, and there was something hidden in them this time that Draco couldn’t decipher. He’d forgotten all about Madame Pomfrey being there and he pushed away her hands at first when she’d come in to help.

“Mr. Malfoy, I can help him if you’d just let me!” She yelled at him, and he finally let her take over. He grabbed a pillow from the sofa and rested Potter’s head on it. Then, he stepped back quickly, letting her replace his position and watched as she mended his wound. He’d always known that Pomfrey was an amazing healer, but to see her in action was a truly brilliant thing. He found himself respecting her more than ever at that moment. 

In all the commotion, he hadn’t looked around the room to notice what else had been going on. He saw then that Coyle was pulling himself out of the fireplace and dusting himself off as Gregson helped. How he’d gotten there, Draco didn’t care to know. He was just glad the man didn’t leave this situation unscathed. 

Coyle glared at him, and suddenly, Draco got an unnerving feeling in the pit of his stomach. He definitely recognised the man. He was absolutely certain he’d seen that face before, but he still couldn’t remember where.

Potter let out another agonized moan and that drew his attention away from Coyle. “Is he going to be okay?” he asked Madame Pomfrey.

Pomfrey finished casting one last spell before she responded, “I believe so, Mr. Malfoy… but he’ll require a lot of rest to fully recover.” She glared at the two Ministry officials and continued helping the injured boy. 

Draco noticed then how the blood from Professor McGonagall’s face had drained and she’d gone white. She was staring now at Madame Pomfrey who was still working to heal Potter. 

“Mr. Malfoy,” Pomfrey said as she cast one last spell. He looked back over to her. “I need you to help me transport Mr. Potter to his bed.” She threw one of Potter’s arms over hers and motioned for Draco to do the same on the other side. He did as he was told, still in shock of it all. 

Coyle and Gregson walked forward as if to help, but McGonagall stepped in their way. “I don’t think so, boys. You’ll not be causing these two any more harm. Now, I must ask you to leave.” She clasped her hands together at her hips and motioned to the door with her head. 

Gregson spoke first, “We’re ever so sorry! There was no way we could’ve predicted th---”  
“Shut up, Gregson!” Coyle responded harshly, and Gregson looked down and backed away quickly. Coyle straightened his jacket and stared her down for a moment before speaking, “This was risky, and the boys were well aware of that. I don’t think you can blame us for any wrong-doing here.” He tried to even put his tone, but it was unconvincing. 

McGonagall straightened up a bit before speaking. “I recommend that you both leave at this instant before I call upon Kinglsey to file a malpractice suit.” She turned as if she was going to aid Poppy, but stopped and added, “Oh, and if you or others decide to come back… make sure you’ve found a way to test your magic. If another incident like this happens, I’ll make sure that you never see the inside of the Ministry again.” She glared at them as they left in a rush. 

Draco could have hugged McGonagall for that, but he was rather occupied getting Potter into his bed. The boy was conscious and obviously in a lot of pain. Pomfrey had healed his wound, but there was still a large red slash where it had been and Draco knew exactly what that felt like. He knew the next couple days would be extremely painful for Potter, and he did not envy him in the slightest. 

They laid the boy down on his good side and let Potter relax. Madame Pomfrey pulled out a vile of liquid from her robe pocket and gave it to Potter. “Drink this, Mr. Potter. It will put you to sleep for a few hours.” 

Potter took it, but he didn’t drink it right away. “Thank you,” he replied breathlessly. 

“Get some rest. We’ll talk later.” She nodded at him and turned to face Draco who was still covered in Potter’s blood. “As for you Mr. Malfoy. I need to run some diagnostic spells to check your vitals and make sure you’re still okay.” She walked over to him and started doing just that. 

Professor McGonagall approached him now with a serious look on her face. “I don’t blame you for your reaction, Mr. Malfoy, but was it really necessary to cast Mr. Coyle into the fireplace while it was still burning?”

He looked at her with a stunned expression. He hadn’t realised that’s what he’d done. “I’m sorry, Professor. I didn’t realise…” 

“It’s quite alright, Mr. Malfoy,” she said with a smirk. “As they say, ‘the devil earned his dues.” She winked at him so quickly that Draco almost missed it. 

He relaxed now. She was joking with him. He wasn’t aware she was capable of joking. Still, he wasn’t in the mood to smile, even if seeing that arse of a man made a fool of by a student was amazing. 

“I’m sure the official report will say he tripped and fell in there if he knows what’s good for him.” She looked at him over her glasses with a knowing expression. He’d apparently done something to impress her. 

Just then, Madame Pomfrey finished her scans. “You’re all set, Mr. Malfoy. There’s not a hair out of place on you.” She clapped him on the shoulder and returned to Potter.

McGonagall spoke to him again. “Now, why don’t you go get cleaned up and we’ll have some house elves up here shortly to clean up the room.” She nodded toward the bathroom before turning to join Pomfrey at Potter’s side. 

He walked to the bathroom in sort of a daze. He couldn’t believe that just over an hour ago he’d felt normal. Now, it was like his world had turned over again. He started to really acknowledge the fact that he may never be separated from Potter seeing as how well things did not go just then. He sighed and got in the shower for the second time that morning and began to clean Potter’s blood off of his body. His clothes were ruined, but that mattered little to him at that moment.


	15. You Called Me Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the midst of a terrible situation, the boys become closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to give a quick thank you to all of you that have followed this fic up to this point. Your comments and kudos mean the world to me. I am glad you are liking this story. 
> 
> I've never written anything like this before, so forgive me if there is an awkwardness about it, but I am just writing what I see in my head. This is what I have imagined for quite some time now, and I'm just now putting it into words. Again, I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I hope you continue to enjoy it. 
> 
> If you are curious about things, or if you just want updates on the story, you can follow me at http://talesfromanuntoldstory.tumblr.com/ I don't post a lot there, but when I will try to keep updates on my writing there. 
> 
> Okay, so without further ado, here is chapter 15.

When Draco was finished cleaning himself off, he reentered their common area to find that everything had been tidied up nicely. House elves work quickly. He looked over and noticed that Potter was looking at him from his bed. 

“Draco…” Potter said weakly. 

Draco slowly walked over to his bedside without speaking. Potter’s glasses were off and Draco admired the brilliant green of his eyes, which was about all that was visible since he’d had the covers pulled up so far. “You should be asleep,” he said warmly. 

Bringing his hand out from under the covers, Potter revealed the still full vile Madame Pomfrey had given him earlier. “I needed to talk to you before I took this.” He breathed heavily, and Draco empathised with him because he knew exactly what he was going through.

Draco looked at him with an understanding look. “I’m here now,” he said sitting next to the boy on his bed. “I’m not sure what I can do for you, Potter. The wound is mended, but it will take time to truly heal.” He rolled up his sleeves as he did so often when he was thinking. 

Potter’s eyes studied the Dark Mark on his arm for a second before returning to Draco’s eyes. “Can you lay with me,” Potter said pleadingly.

Draco was about to protest because he wanted Potter to be able to relax, and he didn’t want to be there disturbing him, but then Potter grabbed his arm, stopping him. “Please, Draco… It feels better when you’re close.” 

He looked into Harry’s eyes and saw desperation there. It wasn’t that long ago when he could have easily turned away from that look… but things had changed. Looking into the boy’s eyes now, he found that he felt sorry for Potter and that he actually wanted to help relieve his pain. Honestly, he could also benefit from some extra comfort because the stress of the situation was very taxing, so he shook Potter’s hand away and crawled over to the other side of the bed to lay down. Potter let out a small groan at the loss of physical contact, but relaxed again when Draco curled up with his back against him. 

“Thank you,” he heard Potter say, and they both sighed with relief. 

A few moments passed, and he never heard or felt Potter take the potion Pomfrey gave to him. Draco rolled over to face him, rested his head on his hand, which was propped up on his pillow, and Potter tensed up again at the loss of physical contact. “Potter, I think you need to take your sleeping potion. Trust me, you’re going to want to sleep this off.” 

Potter didn’t respond right away. Instead, he opened the bottle, smelled its contents, and put the cap back on. This confused Draco, but before he could say anything more, Potter spoke, “Draco, can I ask you to do something else for me?”

“As I said before, I’m not sure there is much I can do for you at the moment.” He’d never admit it, but he hated seeing the other boy like this, and this made him hate that Coyle bloke even more for doing this to him. 

Potter winced as he tried to turn over and face Draco, but Draco put a hand on his shoulder, keeping him from doing so. “No, Potter. You shouldn’t lay on your wound right now.” 

“Draco, I just need you close to me… just… please?” The desperation in Potter’s voice made a lump appear in Draco’s throat. He tried to swallow it, but it remained. He hated that Potter was making him feel this way, but he understood what the boy was asking. Back-to-back contact was not enough relief. If Draco was going to be of any help, he needed to be in full body contact with Potter, so he reluctantly pushed himself up against the other boy. 

Draco was a few inches taller than Potter, and that worked to his advantage here. He noticed that their bodies, once again, fit together almost perfectly. Potter’s back was now firmly pressed into his chest, and he could feel the instant relief and knew Potter felt the same. 

He wasn’t sure what to do with his arm though. If he rested it on his hip, it became uncomfortable. He couldn’t put it in front of himself because Potter’s body was there, and he definitely could not relax with it behind his back. Therefore, the only way he’d be comfortable is if he draped his arm over Potter’s torso. He did so but made sure to keep a safe distance away from the freshly scarred skin.

Potter didn’t hold his hand, but he did grab it and placed it next to his chest, which actually made Draco more comfortable, so he didn’t complain, no matter how much he wanted to. 

Just as he closed his eyes and tried drifting off, Potter broke the silence once more, “You called me Harry.”

Draco was about to contradict him, but then he remembered. He had, in fact, called the boy Harry. Trying to sound indifferent, he responded, “Well, that is your name. Is it not?”

Potter chuckled but immediately winced from the pain afterward, and Draco felt bad for causing it. After a moment to collect himself, Potter continued, “It’s just that….” he paused as if he was rethinking his words. “It was nice…” 

The familiar fluttering sensation that Draco was now starting to understand better returned to his abdomen. “Yeah, well, don’t get used to it,” he replied, thankful that Potter’s wasn’t able to see the redness in his face. 

Potter didn’t say anything after that, and Draco was grateful. The injured boy drank half of his potion and offered the other half to him. “No, you need that more than I do. I’ll be fine, Potter. I promise.” He’d made sure to emphasize “Potter” to make sure he’d made his point, and he felt the other boy suppress a laugh. 

After that, Potter downed the rest of the potion and was asleep in minutes. Draco drifted off just a few moments later. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Draco awoke, he noticed the sun was setting, and the room had gone very dim. He also noticed that he was in the same position that he’d been in when he fell asleep, except now his legs were intertwined with Potter’s. He moved to try and untangle himself, but when Potter shifted, he decided it was better to not disturb him anymore. 

Just then, he heard a person at the foot of the bed clear their throat. He jumped up quickly, causing Potter to stir and groan in pain. He moved to push back Potter’s unruly hair to make sure he was still sleeping and then looked up to see the intruder. 

“I never thought I’d see the day when you two put aside all your differences and tolerate each other, let alone what I am witnessing now... What is it that I am witnessing now may I ask?” Madame Pomfrey spoke calmly and cooly, but there was a wild curiosity hidden in her expression. 

Draco felt the blood rush to his face, but he responded matching her tone, “It’s not what you think. It just gives us both relief to be physically touching.” He didn’t get out of the bed. Instead, he pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. 

She cocked an eyebrow at him as if she’d wanted to comment more, but thought better of it. “It’s none of my business what you two get up to in your spare time. I’m just here to check up on Mr. Potter. Has he been sleeping since I left him this morning?” She walked over and began checking his vitals. 

He looked over at Potter now, who was sleeping, but not soundly. “Yes, he’s been out cold,” he said not taking his eyes off the other boy. 

“Dear me, he’s bound to be starving by now. I’ll shall have to wake him up.” He cast a silent spell and Potter’s eyes fluttered open. He groaned again in pain and curled himself into a tighter ball. Taking his cue, Draco scooted closer to him so that their bodies touched, and Potter relaxed against him. 

Draco noticed Madame Pomfrey’s intrigued look as she observed them, but neither one of them commented. Instead, Potter broke the silence, “What time is it?” 

Pomfrey took her eyes away from Draco’s and looked at Potter. “It’s about half six in the evening. Your supper is actually waiting for you on the table, but I’ll have yours served to you in bed. We can’t have you walking around just yet. Also, I have some guests for you waiting in the hall if you’d like to have some visitors?” 

Potter groaned again, “Guests?”

“Yes, Mr. Potter. Young Weasley and Granger are waiting to see you if you’ll have them?” She started to sound impatient, even though she was trying to mask it. 

Potter rubbed his eyes and cleared his throat, obviously still extremely exhausted. “Sure,” he said, not sounding entirely confident. 

Madame Pomfrey looked at Draco, and he gave her a nod of approval, even though the last thing he wanted right now was visitors. She nodded in return and headed for the door. Draco suddenly realised how strange it would be if the Weasel and his girlfriend found him in bed with their best friend, so he hopped out quickly and Potter made a sound that said he disapproved of the movement. “Sorry, Potter, but I’m not going to be made a fool of by your friends. You’re going to have to sit there on your own until they’re gone.” 

He made a move to walk away, but he was stopped by a hand that grabbed his arm. He looked over and saw Potter’s pleading eyes. “Just stay close,” said the other boy in a weak voice. Draco nodded and stayed where he was. The boy dropped his hand when he heard the door open and his friends walk in. 

Granger basically ran towards Potter’s bedside, and the Weasel followed closely behind. She dropped down to her knees beside him and grabbed his hand. “Harry, we’ve been so worried about you. What exactly happened? Don’t spare me the details.” She reached up and pushed his curls out of his face, and Draco found himself getting a little annoyed by that action, but he couldn’t explain why.

Potter tried clearing his throat and explain, but the task seemed difficult for him. “They--- (clears throat)-- they tried to unbind us, and I guess the process of cutting into our energies had a physical consequence.” He coughed, and Draco watched as he winced in pain and grabbed at his side. 

Draco stepped forward to relieve some of the stress, but Potter didn’t relax much. He wanted to go and sit by him again, but he didn’t want Potter’s friends there to witness, so he stayed put.

Granger looked up at him now, giving him a confused look. “What does he mean, Mal-- Draco?” 

He looked at her curiously but decided not to recognise the name slip. “He means that bastard, Coyle, tried cutting into our energies to separate us and he nearly sawed Potter in half when doing so.” His voice sounded harsh and angry, but he didn’t care because he was angry at that fact. 

The Weasel looked utterly shocked. “Wait, he actually tried cutting you apart?”

“Yes, that doesn’t make any sense. You can’t just cut into energies,” Granger said as she stood up and walked toward the window deep in thought. 

Just then, Madame Pomfrey spoke up again, startling Draco a little bit because he’d forgotten she was there. “Forgive me for interrupting, but the boys’ food will get cold if they don’t eat it soon.” She walked over to the table and started packing it onto a tray to bring to Potter. 

“No, Madame Pomfrey.” He heard Potter say as he tried sitting up. Draco stepped forward to try and stop Potter from moving, but he caught the eye of the Weasel and stopped himself. Potter continued, “I want to eat at the table.”   
“Mr. Potter I really must advise against that--”

The rest of her words went ignored by the others. Potter was really struggling now to sit up, and Draco wanted to help him, but he forced himself to stay put. He actually sighed in relief when the Weasel stepped in to help him up. Granger also walked over and grabbed Potter’s other side, and they both began walking him over to the table. 

Madame Pomfrey scoffed and threw her hands up in resignation, “Don’t mind me. I’m just the nurse.” She put her hands on her hips and looked at the disapproving. 

Draco followed and took the seat next to Potter, ignoring the looks he received from Granger and the Weasel by doing so. He looked at the food in front of them and realised then just how hungry he’d become. There were two plates of food there. One for Potter and one for him. The plates were filled with a large portion of honey ham and several sides. Draco scowled at the serving of meat. He firmly believed that meat should never taste sweet, and he motioned for Potter to remove the offending piece of food from his plate as he’d done often in the past. As Potter began forking the ham, Draco didn’t hesitate to reach over to Potter’s plate, taking all of the peas there as well as the salad, knowing that Potter wouldn’t ever willingly eat anything green. 

Once the exchange was complete, they looked up to see the curious expressions of their guests, and Draco’s face flushed a little in embarrassment now that he’d realised they’d done something unexpected. Thankfully, neither one of them commented on it. 

“If you all can handle yourselves, I’ll be off to the infirmary. Find me there if you need me.” They looked over to Madam Pomfrey and watched as she left the room. Draco felt a little bad about ignoring her, but he had bigger problems on his plate at the moment. 

Granger spoke up, “I can’t believe that man actually tried cutting you guys apart! That seems brutal.” She sat down across from them and folded her arms. The Weasel followed and sat next to her. 

“Well, what did you expect, Hermione? It’s not like there are any books or information to help us here. They had to start somewhere,” Potter said shoving food into his mouth. He was also leaning heavily on his good side to take the pressure off of his wound, and Draco wanted to scoot over some so that he could help ease some pain, but he didn’t want to attract more attention from the others, so he stayed where he was. Instead, he moved his leg underneath the table and rested it against Potter’s. He received a silent “thank you” look from the boy in return, and that made the now familiar stomach sensation to return. He looked back at his plate, hoping to Merlin that his face wasn’t flushed. 

Granger’s concerned expression changed to one of deep concentration. “Still, there’s got to be a more humane way to separate you… I need to do some research into--”

“No, Hermione, you need to focus on your exams right now. Let the Ministry figure this one out. That’s what they’re here for.” He forked another slab of meat into his mouth and leaned back against the chair. 

Granger sighed and leaned back as well. “I almost forgot about exams in all the ruckus… Also, our Potions work is due Monday as well. Have you guys figured yours out yet? Ronald and I finally got ours working this morning. We’re building a small house for Crookshanks to hang out in.” 

Draco laughed at that. “You built a house for your cat?”

Granger scowled at him, “Well, what else were we going to build that’s practical?” 

Honestly, Draco hadn’t thought about the structure they’d build after they got the potion to work, and now it was almost too late to try and think of anything. He began raking his mind but stopped when he noticed Granger still looking at him. “Good point.” This earned him a stunned look from the girl because he’d actually agreed with her. 

“Anyway, what were you two planning on building once you’ve gotten your mortar ready?” she said, still obviously taken aback by Draco’s comment. 

“I haven’t thought about it really,” said Potter weakly. “Well, we haven’t put much thought into it anyway. We can’t even get the bloody stuff to work.” 

Granger gave him a sorrowful look, but Weasley is the one who responded, “Well, since you likely won’t be in any condition to attend class, maybe you’ll at least have a few more days to figure it out.”

“Draco, have you got any ideas on what you could build?” Granger addressed him directly now, and he grew uncomfortable because he didn’t know how to answer her. 

He wiped his mouth with his napkin and cleared his throat before responding, “Well, I also hadn’t really thought about it. However, the Taijitu symbol is starting to become more and more appealing.”

Granger laughed at him, and he glared at her. “The Yin Yang symbol? Why would that be appealing?” 

He pursed his lips together, biting back the words he really wished to say to her. He sighed and responded, “It seems fitting.” He laid down his fork and knife on his plate now finished with his meal, but he didn’t take his eyes off hers until he noticed Potter shifting beside him. He looked over at Potter who was staring at him curiously. He had also finished his meal and was now leaning with his full weight on the back of his chair. 

Trying not to sound too worried, he asked, “Do you need to go back and lay down?” He nudged his leg under the table reassuringly. 

Potter looked up at him with the brilliant green eyes; wow, why couldn’t he stop noticing them? “I think Pomfrey may have been right. I shouldn’t have gotten out of bed.” He closed his eyes and laid his head on the back of the chair, letting it take his full weight.

Draco got up from his seat and knelt down beside the boy. “Potter, I’m going to take you back to bed. Rest your head on my shoulder and put your arm around my neck.” The boy did as he was told, and Draco started helping Potter to his feet, and Weasley rushed to help on the other side. Both boys looked at each other, but for the first time, there was no malice hidden in their expressions. For once, they had a common goal. They walked Potter over to his bed and tucked him in. Madam Pomfrey had apparently left him another sleeping potion because there was one on the bedside table that she’d obviously taken it upon herself to bring over from the other side of the room. Draco took it and handed it to Potter, and the boy drank it quickly. He rested his head on the pillow and almost instantly, he was asleep. 

Draco looked over at the two guests in his room. Granger held an expression that he couldn’t decipher. It was almost as if she was understanding something and seeing it for the first time, which made him very uncomfortable. What could she possibly be observing? 

“I supposed we should get going now,” Granger said, studying him for a moment longer. “C’mon Ron. We should really study a little before we head off to bed.” She looked over toward him now, “We’ll come back sometime tomorrow and check up on you both.”

He nodded at her in return and watched them as they left the room. He looked back over to Potter and noticed the boy wasn’t actually sleeping at all. He went over to him, and Potter reached out his hand and grabbed his, but he didn’t pull away. He was getting very used to the physical contact, but he didn’t realise until then that he’d actually started welcoming it. “You don’t have to stay with me tonight if it makes you uncomfortable,” he heard the boy say feebly. 

“Shh, Potter. We both know I’m not going to let you suffer.” He let go of Potter’s hand, but only so he could change into his pajamas. He noticed then that Potter was still wearing his jeans from earlier, and thought how uncomfortable that must be to sleep in. “Do you want me to help you change?” 

Potter didn’t say anything in return, but he did nod his head. So, carefully and nervously, Draco undid his jeans and slipped them off. He tried not to notice the outlines of Potter’s leg muscles, but the boy had incredibly strong legs. He shook his head and folded the jeans before laying them on the bedside table. He walked over to Potter’s wardrobe and grabbed a pair of blue pajama bottoms and slipped them on Potter trying not to move him too much and cause him more pain. 

“Thank you,” Potter said in a low whisper, fighting sleep. 

Draco pulled the duvet up to Potter’s chin and crawled into bed next to him. He resumed the big spoon position and he felt Potter relax against him. A few moments later, Draco heard the soft snores of the boy next to him and he closed his eyes to try and fall asleep too. However, he couldn’t keep the thoughts of his new realisation out of his mind. He lay there feeling Potter’s body heat against him, and it was very calming. He couldn’t understand how being in such a situation with Potter could be anything close to calming, but there he was, and that’s what he was feeling. 

He pulled his head up and stared at the sleeping boy. His black curls were sprawled out all over his pillow and his face. Draco wanted nothing more than to brush them behind his ear so he could see his full face, but he didn’t want to move and disturb him, so he resisted. Next, he felt the boy’s stomach move with his breathing, and he felt a faint heartbeat where his hand rested against the boy’s chest. Just then, he couldn’t help but to think of how incredibly handsome the other boy really was. Of course, he’d never thought to notice before, but Potter was quite striking, even in this state. 

He couldn’t resist the urge anymore, so he brought up his hand and brushed Potter’s curls behind his ear, revealing his face. Draco’s breath hitched as he took in the sight. Potter looked so peaceful, even though he was bound to be in a great deal of pain still. Draco returned his hand to the boy’s chest and pulled him a little closer while avoiding putting too much pressure on his side. He laid his head back down, but this time, he rested his forehead on the back of Potter’s neck. He laid there a few moments just relaxing against the other boy, but slowly he drifted off to sleep.


	16. Yin and Yang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the series of events that took place after Harry's accident, and the boys grow closer to each other as they deal with this new situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again to all those still following this story. The response is so beautiful, and I never expected this much love and support. So thank you for all of your kinds words and kudos!

The next morning, Draco woke up when Potter rolled over to his back, knocking him out of his comfortable position. In a state of half-sleep, he didn’t attempt to roll over and get comfortable on his own. No, instead, he scooted closer to Potter and threw his left leg over the boy’s right and rested his head against his shoulder. 

He felt Potter wince beside him followed by a soft laugh. This woke him up completely and he realised what he was doing. His eyes grew wide, and he pushed himself away, causing the other boy to groan in pain.  
“Careful, Draco,” he said, grabbing his side. “I’m still healing.” Even though Draco knew he was in pain, the boy was still trying to suppress a laugh. 

He felt the blood rush to his face, and he sat up, trying to look anywhere but at Potter. “Sorry I.. uh.. I didn’t realise what I was doing.” He ran his hand through his hair partially because he didn’t know what else to do with his hands just then and partially because he knew he had bed head and he wanted to tame it. 

Potter chuckled softly and tried sitting up with much effort, but at least he was able to sit up on his own. “It’s alright, Draco. I just feel bad for putting you in that situation.” Now Potter looked away, seemingly embarrassed, and Draco was able to study the other boy for a moment. His dark curls were matted down on one side where he’d had it rested against his pillow. His eyes weren’t shielded by his glasses at the moment, and they were as brilliant as ever. The duvet rested gently at his hips, which meant his entire torso was on full display. The most noticeable thing at the moment was the large, pink, and jagged scar that slashed across Potter’s side. Draco winced just looking at it. But beyond that mark, Draco noticed something more… something worth appreciating. 

He trailed his eyes down the boy's body, which was more of a man’s body than a boy’s, and noticed that the definition in Potter’s muscles hadn’t faded at all. He admired each outline of his biceps, pectorals, abdominals, and then the “V” shape of his pelvic muscles that disappeared under the covers. Potter also had a bit of chest hair and a patch of hair that dwindled down below his belly button into a “happy trail” that also disappeared under the duvet. His eyes lingered there for a moment, and he licked his lips a bit before he could stop himself. 

“Like what you see?” Potter said in a curious tone.

The question shook him out of his trance and he found himself feeling incredibly embarrassed for getting caught staring. “Don’t flatter yourself, Potter…” he said it a lot harsher than he’d intended to, but he was too embarrassed to take back the words. Instead, he added, “That scar would turn heads from a mile away.” He got up from the bed and went to look out the window to see what kind of day it was outside. 

Potter grunted a little as he tried to stand up from the bed. Draco leaned forward like he was going to go over and help, but Potter threw up a hand that made him stop, so he turned back to the window. Potter took a breath after getting to his feet and replied, “Sure... that’s definitely where you were looking.”

Draco quickly glared at him, but Potter just threw him a wink and then turned to walk toward the bathroom. Come to think of it now, it had been an incredibly long time since the boy had relieved himself, and he wondered now if Madame Pomfrey didn’t have something to do with that. Potter’s struggling was more than he could handle watching. He walked briskly over to him and ignored the protests as he wrapped his arms around his hips and guided him to the bathroom. 

“Draco, you can’t help me all the time, especially since I need to shower,” Potter said sounding annoyed. 

“Come off it, Potter. I can at least get you to the door, and then I can go and grab you some clothes. Do you want a shirt or just trousers?” When he didn’t get a response right away, he turned to look at the boy. “Well?”

Potter looked at him with a dumbfounded expression. “Just trousers, I suppose,” he replied having to shake himself out of his thoughts. “You’re being exceedingly helpful today. What’s gotten into you?” 

Draco thought for a moment and let go of Potter as they reached the door to the bathroom. “I dunno, really. I guess I just know what you’re going through, and I… well..” he didn’t really want to finish that thought because he didn’t want to admit that he’d actually started growing fond of the other boy’s company. That wasn’t the way things worked, and he didn’t want to disrupt the status quo any more than it already was. 

“Well, what?” Of course, Potter wasn’t going to let this go.

He sighed and thought about his next words. “I just… I just haven’t minded things lately, and I think things are changing between us, and I don’t really know how to handle that.” 

Potter smirked a little, and this piqued Draco’s interest, but he made no move to comment on it. “Well, I certainly hope things are changing between us, Draco,” Potter responded in an airy voice. “I’d like to think we’ve grown out of hexing, pranking, or threatening each other like we used to.” 

“Yeah,” he said, frowning a little. He couldn’t explain it, but the comment made him feel dejected. Of course, they’d grown out of that stuff, but it was so much more than that. Surely, Potter felt it too. 

Just like he had read Draco’s thoughts, he continued, “However... Things have definitely changed…”

He looked up, and their eyes met. Both of them knew what the other was thinking at that moment, but neither of them was brave enough to say it, so they just stood there in awkward silence for a few moments, waiting for the other to muster up the courage. 

Finally, Potter was the one to break the silence. “Draco?”

Draco laughed at the strangeness of it all. “Yes, Potter?” Yes, the situation was awkward, and in any other circumstance and with any other person he would feel uncomfortable. But with Potter, he wasn’t uncomfortable. In fact, he didn’t think he’d ever felt more comfortable with anyone in his life, even his mother, which was a very odd thing for him since he’d loathed Potter for so long. 

“Ar-- Are we… friends?” Potter looked down, obviously afraid to hear something he didn’t want to.

Honestly, it’s been so long since Draco had had a true friend that he wasn’t sure. He also wasn’t sure that they could ever be friends given the circumstances, but for some reason, he really wanted to say yes. He hadn’t known it until recently, but he really missed having a friend. He liked knowing that there would be someone to talk to whenever he needed. He liked the idea of having someone around all the time to challenge him intellectually and physically. And he really liked that that person for the last several weeks had been Potter. 

Time is a funny thing. It can change things in ways never thought possible, and that was exactly what was happening here. Time had allowed them to bond, and it was in that time they had been given a chance to mend things between them whether they were conscious to it or not. And like the binding potion they strived so desperately hard to create, they’d been given time to build… to build a new relationship that could withstand anything that tried to break it. It was nowhere near that point yet, but Draco thought it had the potential to get there. 

“I don’t know, Potter. I guess I hadn’t thought about it.” He avoided saying what he really meant, once again.

Potter sighed, annoyed. “But… do you want to be?” He looked into Draco’s eyes, and Draco saw no malice in them or any threat of trickery. 

Without looking away, he replied, “I-I mean there’s no real point in being enemies, Potter.”

“Harry,” he replied all -too quickly, correcting him. “My name is Harry… and that’s not an answer.”

Draco swallowed the lump that appeared suddenly in his throat. “Right…” He turned his body to walk away and thrust his hands into his pockets. He didn’t know if he was ready for a first-name basis with Potter… with Harry… but if he wanted to truly be friends, he’d have to get used to it sooner or later. “I don’t want to not be friends, Potter--Harry, but I’m not sure how we can be friends after everything…” He didn’t face the boy, but he listened for a reply. 

“Oh..” was all he heard in response, and it hurt him to hear the other boy so crestfallen, but he also didn’t want to lie. 

He heard the door to the bathroom open and Harry’s unbalanced footsteps as he walked inside, but the door didn’t close right away. 

“Draco?” he said in a soft, hesitant voice. 

Draco didn’t turn his body entirely around to the boy, but he turned his ear toward him so that Harry knew he was listening. “Yes?”

“Just to be completely transparent… I want… well,... I think I should like being your friend.”

Draco didn’t respond, but he did smile while his body was still positioned slightly toward Harry, allowing the other boy to see the upturned edge of one side of his mouth. He turned his head the rest of the way and saw that Harry was also smiling, and that made his stomach do a crazy thing inside him. He had to look away quickly so that Potter--- So that Harry didn’t see him blush. Also, he was really going to have to try to get used to calling the other boy by his given name.

He heard the door shut gently behind him and then he went to grab some clothes and lay them just inside the door on the sink for Harry when he was finished cleaning off. Then, he went over to his own wardrobe and got himself ready for the day.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After breakfast, the boys were visited by McGonagall and Pomfrey again to see how Harry was getting along, and Madame Pomfrey did a second round of mending spells on Harry that actually helped him to move around a lot easier. Draco was thankful for that because he honestly didn’t like to see him in pain, but also because it meant less work for him. 

The rest of the morning, they spent most of their time remixing their potion. Neither boy had any hope that it would work, but since their structure was due the next day in class, they figured they’d give it one last go before they gave up entirely. Harry had decided not to miss class, even being injured, and Draco did not protest. 

“Make sure you only stir three times counterclockwise, Draco,” Potter said, trying to be helpful, yet annoying Draco. 

“Potter, I’ve brewed a potion before. I think I can handle this,” he replied sounding just as annoyed as he was.

“Harry,” he said correcting him. 

He sighed, “Fine... Harry, I’ve brewed a potion before. I think I can handle this.” He stirred the third stir and watched as it produced the desired effect. “Good. Do you have the mortar ready?”

Potter ignored Draco’s sharp, annoyed response and only replied to his question. “Yes, I have it here.” He tapped on the edge of the second cauldron that lay beside the potion. “You pour the potion in, and I’ll cast the charm. It worked better that way before.” 

“Right, okay,” he replied a little embarrassed about asking a dumb question. He grabbed the potion and began slowly pouring the liquid over the mortar.

Harry prepared his wand and waited until about a third of the potion had been poured before casting the spell, “Alliges Duplicia,” he said moving his wand carefully in the specified manner. 

Neither boy expected what happened next. The cauldron, now containing both substances, glowed a bright purple as the mortar and the potion bound themselves together. They watched as the two liquids became homogenized and then gave each other astonished looks. 

“It worked…” he said sounding utterly surprised. They’d now performed the same task numerous time, but for some reason, this time it was different. He couldn’t explain it, and honestly, he didn’t care. This meant he still had a chance at an “O,” so he was ecstatic. 

Draco looked over at Harry and noticed a similar reaction written in an expression on his face. “Why do you think it worked this time and not the others? We didn’t do anything differently.”

Harry shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine, Draco, but now we have another problem.” Their eyes met. Harry’s were concerned, but Draco’s were confused. 

“What problem is that?” he responded, genuinely curious. 

“Draco, have you forgotten that now we have to build something?” he said, giving him an incredulous look. 

Draco had actually forgotten that part. “Ugh,” he said, sitting down for the first time in what felt like hours. Potter had been sitting the entire time and now looked at Draco with an amused expression. “Can we eat first? I’m half-starved, ” he said basically pleading the other boy with his eyes. 

Harry laughed, and grabbed Draco’s arm, pulling him up and wincing a little as he did so. “Of course, Draco. Let’s go.”  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Great Hall was fuller than normal at midday, but neither Draco nor Harry seemed to mind anymore. They both spotted Granger and the Weasel and moved to sit across from them. Draco resumed his normal, standoffish posture when near them, and Harry scowled at him. “Be nice,” he heard the boy whisper under his breath. 

Draco scoffed, “I will if the Weasel will.” He folded his arms as the walked over. 

“Draco you have to stop calling him ‘Weasel.” Harry’s tone was indignant, but Draco didn’t care. It would take a lot longer for him to warm up to Harry’s friends, but he didn’t know if it was possible to warm up to the Weasel. There was just too much bad blood there…. Then again… there was a lot of bad blood between Draco and Harry, but look at them now. He shook away his thought, not wanting to be bothered by them at the moment.  
Apparently, he’d been thinking longer than he’d realised. Harry must’ve mentioned their potion working, and Granger was commenting now. “Maybe it worked because you two have finally decided to work together fully instead of constantly being at odds.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean, Hermione,” he heard Potter reply before he could say something crass. 

“It means that you two have obviously bonded in more way than one,” she threw up her hand at Harry and himself just as they were about to protest and continued, “Boys, it’s obvious you’ve gained some common ground. It was undeniably evident during dinner yesterday evening, so don’t try to say otherwise.” 

Draco hoped his face wasn’t as red as he thought it might have been, but there was no way of telling. 

Harry took it upon himself to chime in then, “Actually, Hermione, you’re not wrong.” He looked over at Draco, and Draco did his best to hide any sort of expression on his face. “I think Draco and I have come to an understanding. Haven’t we Draco?”

Draco still wasn’t comfortable letting the other two in on his personal matters, so he responded a lot harsher that he probably should have. “Whether we have or not, Harry, it’s none of your know-it-all friend and her pet’s business…” he cocked an eyebrow at Granger and the Weasel in a sort of a challenge, but Hermione only smiled in return, and the Weasel just looked confused. 

Continuing to smile, she responded, “Well, alright then. But just so you know, I’m happy you’re both on first name terms now.” Her knowing smile was almost more than Draco could handle. 

Draco kicked himself mentally for that slip-up. He hated how clever she was. He thrust his fork much too hard into his potatoes and shoved them into his mouth, avoiding any and all eye contact. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in the flat, he and Harry were pondering their structure. They’d decided that the Taijitu would be the thing they built because it was the only thing that came to mind and they were in a rush to get it done in time, but now they had to develop a plan. The Yin Yang symbol suited their situation perfectly, but they also agreed that it would need to be crafted in a way that showed off the capabilities of their charmed potion and mortar mixture. 

Eventually, they decided to build the structure as if the two halves had not yet found each other but were an obvious perfect fit. They decided to make it like an art piece in a muggle museum. The dark half of the symbol would be at the base of the structure while the light half at the peak. Both rounded parts would meet in the middle and that is where they would place their mixture. It would look as if the dark half was moving upward and the light half was moving downward in an attempt to connect with each other like a puzzle. The mortar would show its strength and durability by holding up the two heavy stones that barely touched each other.

Since mixing and charming the potion was the hardest part of their task, creating the structure took little time in comparison. They had brought a few larger stones up from the grounds, and Draco easily transfigured them into the proper shapes. Harry helped talk Draco through as he positioned them and used the mixture to combine them. Harry was frustrated with the fact that he couldn’t help do that part, but he was under strict orders not to lift anything for a while, and levitation charms weren’t good for positioning. 

After the mortar had set, Draco stepped back to view their work with Harry. It stood about a meter tall and about half a meter wide. It was quite heavy because it was made from stone, and Draco was actually quite proud of it. 

“What do you think?” he heard Harry say at his side.

Draco laughed. “I think it’s bloody fantastic!” he said turning to look at Harry who greeted him with an equally ecstatic expression. “I didn’t think we’d ever get it to work!”

Harry laughed too and responded. “Well, I couldn’t have done it without you, so thank you, Draco.” 

Draco was well aware that he’d done most of the hard work in this project, but he decided not to mention that because he was sure Harry was also well-aware of that fact. “Don’t mention it, Harry. I’m just glad I still have a shot at an “o.”

“Me too, Draco. Me too.” They studied their masterpiece for a while longer and then decided to grab some supper. 

After eating in their room, they heard a soft knock at their door. 

“I wonder who that could be,” Harry said as he vanished their dinner mess from the table. 

“Well, it’s not McGonagall. She would’ve just barged in,” Draco replied and made his way toward the door. When he opened it, he was shocked to discover that no one was there. He looked down and noticed two pieces of parchment on the stone floor. He picked them up and was elated to see what it was. He handed one to Harry as he made his way over. “It’s that time of year again, Potter. I a week we’ll be able to set out on the town, or however people describe it these days,” he said with a smile. 

He saw Harry do the same when he read the parchment. “Hogsmeade! Finally! I was getting sick of being cooped up all the time!” 

Draco could’ve taken that as an insult, but he knew what Harry meant. “I guess I better start making my shopping list. The annual Hogsmeade trip means loads of Christmas shopping for me.” He looked over and saw the scowl on Harry’s face and laughed. “Don’t worry, Harry. I haven’t got many to buy this year. I don’t know if you remember, but the war changed a lot for me.” He didn’t mean to say that to get a reaction from Harry, but that’s what he got.

“I’m sorry, Draco…. I didn’t think.” The boy looked mortified, but that only made Draco appreciate him more. 

“Come off it, Potter,” he said chuckling a bit to lighten the mood. “It’s the way things are, and I’ve accepted it. There’s no use in putting further thought into it anymore.” He hoped Harry would take the hint and drop the subject, and he was not disappointed. 

“Okay,” said Harry. “Are you ready for bed yet, or did you need to do something else?” 

He thought for a moment before responding. He’d not had any other homework to do that he could think of--- “Oh no..”

“What?” replied Harry sounding concerned. 

“I forgot about the Hyena Tree….” He rushed over to it and noticed that it was beginning to wilt. He immediately watered it and placed it in front of the window so that the sunlight could get to it during the day. “There.” He hoped he’d caught it in time. He couldn’t deal with any more of Sprout’s judgments or cruel jokes, so he needed to make sure that thing was in top shape when he returned it. 

“Right… I can’t believe she gave you that thing… It’s hideous!” He heard Potter say behind him.

Draco laughed and headed over to his wardrobe to change into his pajamas. “I can’t believe you figured out how to skip out on Herbology this year, especially since you want to be a Healer.” 

“Technically, Draco, I didn’t skip out on it. I just aced the exams for it when they assessed us at the beginning of the year, so I already received my “O.” He sounded indifferent, and Draco forgot about those assessments. He’d actually done the same for Potions, but he elected to take the class anyway since he was good at it, and he needed to fill that space in his schedule with something. Come to think of it now, he’d never be in this situation if he’d just taken the “O’ when it was offered to him the first time. However, he wasn’t too dissatisfied with the way things were turning out so far. 

“Right… I forgot about those.” He closed up his wardrobe and headed for his bed. Once there, he paused for a moment now realising that he had a new choice. Should he leave his blankets open and allow Potter to join, or should he just sleep by himself tonight? He’d gotten so used to having the other boy next to him during the night that he really wanted to leave the blankets open, but he didn’t want Harry to think too far into the implications of that action. He looked over at the other boy and saw that he was quite possibly thinking the same thing. 

‘Fuck it,’ he thought to himself. He’d let Harry decide what to do. He crawled into bed and left the blankets open. This way, Harry could be the one to make the call on his own. He didn’t care about the implications. 

He listened as Potter slowly made his way to his wardrobe and changed. He waited impatiently for Potter to head back toward him, and he almost regretted leaving the duvet open to the boy when he didn’t immediately feel Harry get into bed with him. 

He resisted the urge to turn over and face him, so he just laid there waiting. After a few agonizingly long moments, He felt the bed give into Harry’s weight, and he sighed in relief. They lay there a few more moments untouching and not speaking, and then Potter rolled toward him and place his foot where it was touching Draco’s calf. 

Draco couldn’t help it. He scooted himself backward and pressed his back up against Harry’s chest and both of them sighed together feeling relieved. Harry was shorter than Draco, so they didn’t quite fit together this way, but he was still comfortable nonetheless. 

He felt as Harry wrapped his arm around his torso and then the hand against his chest, and suddenly he felt right again. It wasn't long until he fell asleep now that he was lying comfortably in the hold of his new….. Friend? Yes, he guessed it was true. They had become friends in all of this, and maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.


	17. The Marks that Tell Our Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are heating up between the boys!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this fic has an Explicit warning, and I am getting there. I promise. You'll see a hint of it in this chapter.
> 
> Again, thank you for all of your kind words and support for this fic. It feels amazing to have so many of you appreciate this work, and I am working hard to make sure it stays that way. :)

The next morning, Draco found himself facing Harry as he slept beside him. He made no move to get out of bed, nor did he roll over and lose sight of the boy in front of him. He couldn’t help thinking how strange the last month had been... How much his life had changed. Come to think of it now, he hadn’t realised before how depressed he had been after the trials. He also hadn’t realised how lonely his life was. He thought back to just a few weeks ago when he thought spending his free time in the library alone was a good time. Now he shuddered thinking about being alone for such a long period of time. Honestly, he didn’t really even miss his bean bag. 

Studying Harry now was forcing him to realise that he’d grown very fond of him. He actually looked forward to their days together and even found himself thinking about future activities with Harry, and planning future events was something he hadn’t been able to do in a very long time. He was looking forward to their trip to Hogsmeade together in less than a week and even pictured Granger and the Weasel there too for parts of it. He was also looking forward to spending the Christmas holiday with him as well since it would inevitably happen. He didn’t know how that would work yet, but he honestly didn’t care as long as Harry was there with him. He didn’t know when he’d planned these things in his head, but he wasn’t put off by the thoughts in any way. 

Suddenly, Harry inhaled deeply and exhaled just the same, shaking Draco from his thoughts. He would wake up soon, but Draco still made no move to get up. No, he decided to study Harry for a while longer. 

The boy’s dark curls were getting longer, but this actually pleased Draco, for the longer his hair got, the looser his curls became. They were slowly becoming waves that barely scraped his shoulders when he was upright. Draco reached out and brushed a stray curl away from Harry’s eyes and rested it on his forehead by his scar. That particular scar brought up a whole mess of other memories for Draco, and he didn’t want to think of most of them. However, he did become conscious of how much Harry had been through in his life, and he wondered why it had taken him so long to become aware of that. Blimey, the guy had been fighting off a crazed lunatic since infancy and came out of it alive and well. He never thought to appreciate that fact. 

Draco then noticed something he’d never seen before. On the hand Harry rested just under his chin, he saw a faint scar. He recognised it as one many students got during his fifth year at Hogwarts, and wondered what Harry’d done to make Umbridge want to torture him in such a way. Then, he remembered that he’d been such a prat that year, and that had been the year he’d started making his wrong choices, so he shook that thought away too. 

He reached out again wanting to touch the scar, but he thought better of it and returned his hand. Instead, he elected to just watch as the other boy slept peacefully. 

After a few moments, Harry started fidgeting and then he yawned as his eyes fluttered open for the first time that morning. The sun caught the green in them, and Draco couldn’t ignore the feeling he got in his stomach after seeing them because, Merlin, the boy was attractive. He was never able to fully admit it to himself before, but seeing Harry now in this state, he couldn’t deny that he was attracted to him. And although he’d never fully understood his sexuality, he couldn’t deny his feelings for the boy in front of him now. 

“G’morning,” Harry said in a distorted voice as he stretched his arms over his head, still favoring his left side a bit. 

“Morning,” Draco replied, smiling and still not attempting to move. 

Harry laughed, and that only increased Draco’s mood. “You’re bright-eyed this morning. How long have you been awake?” He turned back toward Draco but kept his head rested on the pillow. 

“Not long, “ he replied looking into Harry’s eyes. “How is your side doing? You’ve slept on it all night.” 

Harry yawned again before replying, “It’s doing much better. Still sore, but much better.” He smiled and nestled his head further into the pillow and closed his eyes again. 

Draco laughed at this. “Harry, you can’t go back to sleep. We’ll miss breakfast.” He pushed on the boy’s shoulder with his hand to wake him up. 

“Ugh... Can’t we just pick something up before class? I’m too comfortable to move right now,” he replied without opening his eyes. 

Draco laughed again and noticed how that stray curl from earlier slipped back down over Harry’s eyelid. Without thinking, he reached up and brushed it back again.

Harry’s eyes snapped open at this, and Draco realised what he’d just done and removed his hand quickly, looking embarrassed. He cursed at himself internally for making such a stupid move. However, when he finally looked up, he didn’t see anger or shock in the green eyes. Instead, he saw curiosity and something else he couldn’t quite te interpret. 

Draco was mortified, but he stayed where he was like a deer in headlights awaiting its doom. 

They stared at each other for a moment before Harry brought his hand out hesitantly and looked at Draco as if to ask permission. 

Confused, Draco nodded and Harry gently brushed one of Draco’s waves behind his ear. There wasn’t really much to the movement, but all the same, it made Draco’s pulse hasten and he felt the blood rush to his cheeks among other places. 

Not a word was spoken between them for there was a mutual understanding going on. Harry had just taken his breath away when he’d brushed back his hair, and obviously, the boy hadn’t been disturbed when Draco had run his hands through his. 

Carefully, Draco brought his hand up to run his hands through the boy's hair again, and he did, but when he’d finished, he traced his finger down Harry’s scar. It’s strange how one little mark can hold so much history. 

“Do you remember it?” He asked, knowing that Harry would understand what he was referring to. 

Harry sighed and looked away. For a moment, when Harry didn’t immediately respond, Draco thought he’d crossed a line by asking the question. However, relief came when Harry finally spoke. “No… not really,” he replied in a soft voice. “I have only seen it through the eyes of Voldemort, and the memories he implanted in my brain.” 

Draco dropped his hand and stared at Harry solemnly. He wanted to respond, but he didn’t know how. However, the boy continued before he could think of something to say. 

“I watched them as they died, but not through my eyes.” He looked back at Draco with a sad expression, and Draco scooted closer so that he could touch the boy. He rested his forehead on Harry’s trying to comfort him through the touch.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that. I can’t imagine wha--”

“ ‘s not your fault Draco,” he said pulling himself even closer but still resting their foreheads together. Draco took the hint and dropped the subject. 

Suddenly, he felt soft fingers tracing the outline of the mark on his left arm. Normally, he’d pull away and tell off the offender, but it was different with Harry. Also, he’d just done a similar thing, so he couldn’t blame Harry for his actions. 

“Did they hurt you, Draco?” Harry’s voice sounded anguished, and Draco understood why. 

“In more ways than you could imagine, Harry, but there’s no use in talking about it. It won’t change anything.” He moved his head as Harry did and they looked each other in the eyes. 

“You know, Draco?” Harry said after a moment.

“Know what?” he replied curiously. 

Harry smiled just then. “You have really nice eyes.” 

Draco couldn’t suppress his laugh. 

“No, I mean it, Draco. You do, and you’re actually a really handsome bloke--”

He didn’t know what got ahold of him just then, but he reached up and grabbed the back of Harry’s neck and pulled him in, taking Harry by surprise. Suddenly, his lips were pressed against Harry’s warm ones and they were kissing softly. Harry didn’t pull away, so after a few seconds, Draco deepened it by pulling him in tighter, which made Harry wince in pain and withdraw his lips because of the extra pressure added to his side. 

“Oh my god…” Draco said in a panic, and he stood up quickly, regretting his actions. “I’m so sorry, Harry! I can’t believe I just did that.” 

“Draco, it--” Harry tried sitting up and responding, but Draco cut him off.

“No, I shouldn’t have done that…. I shouldn’t have done that.” He raked his hands through his hair and began pacing in front of the window. 

Suddenly. He felt warm arms wrap around his waist that stopped him in his tracks. He fought against them for a moment, but Harry’s hold on him was very strong. Eventually, he relaxed into the touch, and Harry pulled their bodies together. Draco’s back rested against Harry’s chest, and the close contact made Draco shiver. “Harry, I’m--”

“Draco, I’m fine. You just caught me off guard is all.” He let loose of Draco’s hips just enough for Draco to turn and face him. Harry repositioned his hands on Draco’s sides, and Draco crossed his arms and look down, afraid to look at the other boy. “I was hoping you’d do that to me one day. I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon.” 

This time he did look up, and he saw that Potter was smiling. However, he couldn’t bring himself to do the same. He had too many thoughts running through his head. He grabbed Harry’s hands and removed them from his hips, and then he turned to get his clothes out of his wardrobe for the day. He tried coming to terms with the fact that he just kissed another bloke, and to top it off, that bloke was the saviour of the wizarding world. Another war would surely come about if people were to hear of what just happened, and he cursed himself again for allowing himself to do such a foolish thing. 

“Draco?...” he felt Harry walk up next to him, but he made no move to face the boy. “Draco, please tell me what you’re thinking. I never know what you’re thinking, and that has been driving me absolutely mad these last several weeks… Well, for quite a bit longer than that actually.” The last part of that Harry had said off-handedly, but it really piqued his interest. 

He turned toward Harry now, looking at him curiously. “Longer?... what do you mean by that?” 

He watched as Harry’s face grew as red as his quidditch robes, and he got that funny feeling back in his stomach. “I.. uh… well…” Harry looked down at the ground, grabbing the back of his neck with his hand, and then back up at him seemingly embarrassed. “Do you remember the day you took me to your spot in the library?” 

“Of course, Harry. That wasn’t that long ago.” He folded his arms across his chest, interested in what he was about to learn. 

“Right... “ Harry said as he wrung his hands together nervously. “Well, that wasn’t the first time I’d been there… not the second, really.”

Draco smirked and stepped forward. He’d already worked out on his own that Harry’d been watching him, but seeing the boy struggle to tell him was entertaining. “Go on,” he replied, amused. He didn’t think he’d ever get enough of watching Harry be uncomfortable, but old habits die hard, even if it gave him a different sense of pleasure than it had before. 

Harry still hadn’t caught on that Draco was amused by the situation and not angry, so his nervousness could be heard in his voice. “Well… god, Draco. You looked so sad, and I couldn’t bear seeing you like that, especially after everything you’d done for me, so I followed you. I watched as you sat under the window in your bean bag, mostly because I was curious about you… But then I started seeing you.” He looked fully up at Draco now, scanning up and down his entire body. “I mean… it was like something clicked in my head, and I started really seeing you for you and not what society had labeled you and definitely not as the prat you’d been growing up. ‘You were different and…”

Draco uncrossed his arms as the lump reappeared in his throat as he listened to the boy. He thought then that he really should be more disturbed at the fact Harry had basically been stalking him, but he sort of understood why he would. It was similar to watching someone sleep he guessed, and he stepped forward and began to say something, but Harry jumped in again before he could speak.

“... and you looked so fucking good-looking… I just wanted to be near yo--” 

Draco cut him off by stepping toward him and closing the distance. He grabbed the sides of Harry’s face lifting his chin and pulling him into a fierce kiss. ‘Fuck society,’ he thought to himself as he decided not to care what they thought anymore. He’d been denied so many things in life, but he wasn’t about to deny himself this. He wasn’t about to let go of something that made him happy simply because it would make society ‘uncomfortable,” and he deepened the kiss by parting Harry’s lips with his tongue and exploring the boy’s mouth. He felt Harry’s hands reach up into his hair and tug gently. He ran his own hand down Harry’s torso, making sure to appreciate each defined muscle there. 

After a few moments of exploring each other's mouths, they rested their foreheads together again and caught their breath. Draco hadn’t realised it, but he’d apparently pushed Harry up against the wall, which is what the boy was leaning against now. He felt elated, strange, excited, and just happy all at the same time, so he chuckled softly as he rested his head against Harry’s, and he felt Harry chuckle too. The situation was bizarre, yet so satisfying. 

Draco didn’t know how to proceed with things from there, but he didn’t care at this moment. He was still coming down from an extreme high that he could feel the physical effects still in the tightness of his pajamas. He looked down and noticed that Harry had a similar situation going on in his, and that made him laugh again. “At least we can both be sure that neither one of us is pulling a prank,” he said as he pushed their hips together.

Harry laughed in return and pulled his head back so he could look at Draco. “If this is what I get for complimenting you, I’ll have to remember to do it more often.” 

Draco cocked an amused eyebrow at him. “Oh, and what makes you think this episode will have an encore performance?” he replied sarcastically. 

Harry laughed and pulled Draco’s hips tighter into his. “Maybe because now I know that I can do this to you,” and he rolled his hips against Draco’s causing brilliant friction that made Draco close his eyes, drop his head on Harry’s shoulder, and moan. 

“Git,” he said, still experiencing the pleasure that came with the added friction. 

Just then, Harry pushed Draco off of himself, and Draco immediately missed the contact. “Where are you going, Potter?” He said in a pleading voice.

“So it’s Potter again, eh?” The boy replied with a smile. “We’re going to be late, Draco, and you’re the one who didn’t want to skip breakfast.” He winked at him then before grabbing his robes from his wardrobe and disappearing into the bathroom. 

“Git,” Draco repeated to himself. He walked back over to his wardrobe and prepared himself for the day, unable to keep the giddy smile off his face.


	18. Full Marks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco finds making Harry uncomfortable wildly amusing, and Harry promises to return a favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter kind of took an unexpected turn for me, and it took me a while to get it back on track. I've had to rewrite several parts of it, and I'm still not sure I'm exactly happy with the way it turned out, but I will let you all decide that. 
> 
> I also have big things planned for the boys in the future, and (as of right now) we haven't seen the last of Coyle, Gregson or Ginny.
> 
>  
> 
> F.Y.I. Yes, I know there is a movie reference in this chapter that is not in the books, but I love it, so I included it. See if you can spot it.

Draco remained giddy throughout the rest of the morning, and it was making him become very absent-minded. He’d forgotten his sample of the Hyena Tree for Sprout to examine, and now she’d punished him by making him de-pod the Snargaluffs. The blasted things kept attacking him with their thorns, but even that wasn’t putting a damper on his mood. 

All he could think of was Harry, who was forced to wait outside the greenhouses while he attended class with their bound sculpture. He suddenly found a new appreciation of the tug of his magical energy because, with it, he knew that Harry was close by. He smiled as he grabbed the next pod with his forceps but the nearest vine was having none of that, so it snapped at him, causing him to jump back and return from his thoughts.

Just as he was beginning to work with the last plant, Sprout dismissed class, and his mood increased because he knew his next class was Potions. He was anxious to see what the oaf, Slughorn, made of their sculpture and to just have another excuse to sit next to Harry. 

When he exited the greenhouse, he looked around to try and spot Harry, and when he did, he scowled because the wasn’t alone. Granger was speaking with him about something. Draco trudged forward, greeting them with a nod and crossing his arms. He heard footsteps coming up behind him and rolled his eyes when he saw the Weasel join them. 

“Hello, Draco,” said Granger with a forced smile. “We were just going to Potions and thought we could walk together. “Ronald, could you help me with our structure?” She motioned over to the perfectly square structure she’d apparently built for her cat, and Draco sort of scoffed at it because for someone said to be so smart, she really missed the point of Slughorn’s assignment. There was no way the structurally sound cat house truly showed off the capabilities of the binding potion and charm combo. However, when they picked it up and rotated it, Draco noticed the intricate detailing of the inside part of the house and knew they would pass with flying colours. Once again, he rolled his eyes. 

“Draco, I don’t think I can carry this myself,” he heard Harry say behind him. “I’m going to need you to help me.”

Draco looked over at the struggling boy, and couldn’t stop his chuckle. Harry was gripping the sculpture at its base, but it was so large that it covered him from hip to face. Forgetting that Harry had recently been injured, he replied, “No, I rather like watching you struggle, Harry. It’s amusing.” He laughed outright then.

“Draco Malfoy, I’m still recovering, and I swear to Merlin if you don’t help me with this, I will sleep in my own bed tonight!” He said petulantly in a sort of shouted whisper. 

Draco wanted to feel bad for forgetting Harry was injured, but he could tell that by now Harry was doing much better, so he looked around to make sure no one was around to hear that, and he was pleased when he discovered they were out of earshot of everyone. Then he laughed again as he walked toward the struggling boy. He grabbed one side of their sculpture at the base, making sure to brush Harry’s hand with his own. He leaned in toward Harry’s face and whispered back in a sultry voice, “You wouldn’t dare.” He was satisfied when he saw the other boy shiver and blush. And with uncontainable smiles on their faces, they caught back up to Granger and the Weasel. 

“So, boys,” Granger said in her know-it-all voice. “I was thinking that we’ll need to begin studying for exams soon. We should make a study schedule and meet two or three evening a week.”

Weasel groaned, “Hermione, that too many nights a week. What about quidditch?” And for once, Draco agreed with the re-headed boy. 

“Yeah, Hermione, can’t we at least wait until after the Hogsmeade trip to begin studying? I’m mentally exhausted from everything so far,” Harry replied as he repositioned his grip on the structure. 

Draco was getting annoyed really quickly. He hated studying in groups and didn’t want to start doing that now. “Why is it that we have to study in a group anyway? Why can’t we just study on our own?” he asked not hiding the annoyance in his voice. 

Granger stopped and turned back to look at him, matching his expression, “Because, Draco, each of us brings something different to the table. I do most of the bookwork and research, Harry is pretty great any sort of spellwork, Ronald is good at taking notes and adding a different perspective in our thought process, and you are quite brilliant and a master of potions. We can use each other’s strengths in all our favors. Can’t you see that?” She cocked an eyebrow at him and repositioned her grip on the cat house. 

He didn’t reply right away because she made a really solid point. They probably would do better on exams by helping each other, but he didn’t think he’d be able to stand to be with the insufferable pair 6 total nights in the two weeks after the Hogsmeade trip. “Granger, you assume so easily that I’d be willing to help you lot. No, it’d probably take more time for me to catch you up than to study on my own. I think Harry and I can manage.” 

“Draco, enough,” he heard Harry say next to him. “We can come to a compromise here, can't we?” He looked between Granger and him for a few seconds, thinking of his next words. “Let’s meet two nights a week and have independent study the other nights. How does that sound?”

Honestly, it still sounded like torture to Draco, but he didn’t figure he was going to get a better deal, so he nodded his head in agreeance and watched as Granger and the Weasel did the same. 

“Alright guys, we’re going to be late, and Slughorn has already warned against me being tardy again. I can’t have another detention. Mum will murder me,” said the Weasel in a panicked tone. Draco thought that was the most he’d ever hear the boy say in one go before, and it shocked him just about as much as the time he learned Crabbe and Goyle could read. 

“C’mon, Ronald,” said Granger, and they were on their way once again.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Brilliant! Just absolutely marvelous!” Slughorn was going on an on, marveling at Granger and the Weasel’s (but mostly Granger’s) cat house. “It must’ve taken ages to build. Full marks!... To both of you,” he said elatedly, as he clapped his hands together and gave the structure one last look about before turning to examine his and Harry’s sculpture. 

His facial expression changed to one of perplexion. “Boys, this is an interesting structure, but I have to wonder why you’ve chosen it?” He looked at them curiously. 

“Well, professor, it is the Yin Yang symbol, so I think we’ve chosen it for obvious reasons,” he heard Harry reply almost curtly. Draco had to fight back a smirk.

“Yes, professor. We thought the symbol suited our situation as well as the position we’ve put it in,” he added smugly.

“Quite right,” he replied a bit nervously, and Draco couldn’t figure out why he’d be nervous, but honestly, he didn’t care. “Well, I have to wonder if it will stay intact with simple demolition spells.” He drew his wand and prepared to cast. 

“I think you’ll find that it will, seeing as the assignment wasn’t that hard to master,” he said defensively and he winced slightly when he felt Harry’s elbow hit him in his side. He just smiled but didn’t look over at the other boy.

Slughorn gave him a gobsmacked expression and began casting several spells. None of them caused the structure to falter in the slightest, which pleased Draco immensely. Slughorn cast about twice as many spells on their sculpture as he did on the others, but all of them failed to affect what they’d created. Finally, he returned his wand to his sleeve and addressed them. “Right, boys. It seems you have a solid structure…. Full marks.” His tone was indignant, but Draco could tell it bothered him to reward the grade after he’d just been disrespected. He straightened up his vest and began looking at the next pair’s work, which collapsed on the first spell. 

He turned toward Harry who was smiling at him, and he couldn’t help but to smile back. “Calm down, Harry. You don’t want to give off the impression that we’ve just barely scraped by on this.” He bit the corner of his lip to keep his expression still and turned only to notice that Granger was also smiling at him. He meant to give her a glare, but suddenly, he felt a hand grab his under his desk. He looked down just as Harry drew it back and immediately missed the touch. He looked up again at the boy. 

“Thank you, Draco,” Harry said gleaming, and Draco felt himself blush so he turned away only to see Granger still watching them. This time, he did glare at her, but she only smiled and turned back toward the Weasel. He knew now that she obviously is noting the change in his and Harry’s relationship, and he hated how clever she was.

He turned back toward Harry, “Harry, I don’t think I can handle eating with the others today. Granger has it in her to get on my last nerve, and I won’t be able to hold my tongue.”

Harry laughed but didn’t comment. Instead, he said, “Alright, Draco. We can eat back in the room if you wish. I need to finish my transfiguration scroll before class this afternoon anyway.”

Draco scowled. He’d forgotten that he’d have to sit through Harry’s Transfiguration class. He’d already passed his N.E.W.T.S. for Transfiguration and thought of how boring his afternoon was about to be. “Ugh… why do I have to sit through your class while you get to enjoy the day outside Herbology?”

“Because, Draco. There is too much shite in the way for an extra body in the greenhouses. You know that…. And Professor Mutatio doesn’t like “creepers” lurking in the hall during his lessons. You know he’s more comfortable when he can see you.” 

Draco scoffed, “That loon is more of a creeper than I’ve ever been!” He stood up and gathered his things because Slughorn had just dismissed them. “He’s just scared of me is all, even after I’ve been exonerated.” 

“Draco, you know the man is absolutely bonkers. Just ignore him and read a book or something.” Harry gathered his things as well, and they walked out of the dungeons together. 

“That’s the thing, Harry. I can’t focus on my own reading when that buffoon of a man is teaching you wrong practices! It’s like listening to a parody... I can’t stand him. I could teach you more about transfiguration than he could.” His tone was borderline angry and Harry stopped and turned toward him, causing Draco to do the same.

Harry reached one hand out and placed it on Draco’s shoulder and Draco ran his hand through his hair. “Hey, Draco. You’re getting yourself worked up… take a second.”

Draco exhaled slowly and closed his eyes. He was glad that Harry kept his hand where it was because it was actually calming. He opened his eyes again and looked down to see that Harry was staring at him curiously.

“Honestly, Draco, you probably could teach me more, but seeing as Mutatio is the professor, I’ll just have to stick with learning from him. Plus, if you didn’t hear earlier, I’m quite gifted in spellwork.” He chuckled a bit at that last part, drawing a hint of a smile from Draco that he was so desperate to suppress. 

Just then, they heard someone clearing their throat beside them. It startled them both because they were so focused on each other that they hadn’t heard the footsteps approaching. Harry dropped his hand and turned to see Professor McGonagall standing before them. “Hello, Professor,” said Harry curiously. “Do you have more information for us?” 

“Yes, Mr. Potter, I’m afraid I do,” she said scowling.” She turned and looked behind her, and Draco became almost angry when he saw Gregson and Coyle standing there. He sneered at them, but Coyle only gave him a smirk in return. Gregson, oblivious to the current mood, waved happily, and Draco rolled his eyes. 

Before he could protest to their surprise visit, Coyle spoke up. “Hello, boys. We’ve come to assess your… situation… further and see if there might be another alternative way to unbind you.” 

Draco couldn’t hold himself back. He stepped sideways to bypass McGonagall in his view and gesticulated wildly when responding, “No, absolutely not. There is no way you’ve had time to prepare anything else, and you nearly killed Harry last time. You’re not coming anywhere near us...” He placed his hand by his wand, readying himself to draw it if necessary. Also, he didn’t notice it right away, but he had stepped in front of Harry as if to shield him from the men. He looked back and saw a concerned look on the other boy’s face and something else… something that added a bit of colour to his cheeks, but Draco couldn’t pinpoint it exactly. 

“Mr. Malfoy, these men are still Ministry officials, and I must demand that you treat them with respect. What happened in your last meeting was unfortunate, but I think it’s worth hearing these men out. Now, they are only here to gather more intel, so I must insist that you let them. Otherwise, you’re bound to be… well… ‘bound’ forever.” She put more emphasis on the second ‘bound’ to get her point across. He could tell that she wasn’t particularly pleased with their presence, but she’d opted to be diplomatic until they proved themselves unworthy once again. 

Draco sneered but relaxed his posture. He turned back around and faced Harry trying to decipher his facial expression. Suddenly, Harry nodded at him in a way that said he’d allow this, and it would probably be okay. Draco turned back around. “Fine… but don’t expect me to keep my composure if something else were to happen. You’ve already lost my confidence.” 

“Mr. Malfoy, behave yourself! Ten points from Slytherin.” McGonagall said aghast. “Now, if you’ll follow me, we can do the assessment in the potion’s lab, seeing as they’re done with it for the time being. 

“So much for getting my Transfigurations scroll done,” he heard Harry say under his breath as they both reluctantly walked into the room. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was both pleasing and disheartening to see their energies in physical form again. Draco was happy that they could be separated, but it meant his time with Harry was dwindling. He wondered then how much time they had left together, and a sudden fear came over him that Harry would want nothing to do with them once they were apart. 

He shook the thought away as the men began their work. 

Coyle wisely had steered clear of Draco and was working to reveal Harry’s energy while Gregson did the same to him. Draco noticed now that there were several wisps of blue and yellow that had freed themselves. It looked like the beginnings of a star exploding, and it was quite something to see. There were about ten yellow wisps, but only a handful of blue ones. For some reason, his energy must’ve had a tighter hold on Harry’s than Harry’s did to his. 

At this rate of separation, he didn’t think it would take the full three months for them to let go completely, even though he sort of wished it would. With the present scene before them now, they all knew that it would only be a matter of time before they were successfully unbound, and they may not need to find a way to manually do it, which was fine with Draco because he didn’t want Coyle anywhere near him ever again. 

Coyle spoke now in what Draco assumed was his “official sales voice” as if he were about to sell them on his next idea, “So, boys, I guess we’ve learned that you will eventually be separated, even if we aren’t able to speed up the process. However, we are going to continue testing new spells, and we’d like to have your permission to use our tested spells on you.” He threw up a hand just as both Harry and Draco were about to protest and continued, “Now, I know our last meeting wasn’t… pleasant, but we’re fairly confident that another episode like that is unlikely to happen again. In fact, we’ll take extra precautions to ensure it doesn’t.” He looked them up and down before continuing, “Well, what do you say?” 

Draco looked up in complete astonishment at Professor McGonagall now. “Professor, does the Ministry know it has employed a nutter? Because there is no way in hell I’m letting this man do any more experiments on us!” He pointed at Coyle and glared at him.

“Mr. Malfoy, watch your language.” She brushed off her robes presumedly to give herself time to think through the situation. “Now, Mr. Coyle, Mr. Gregson… I don’t think I can allow you to experiment any more on my students, especially since we now know what we know. The boys don’t need to be put into any more physical danger if they are eventually be separated naturally. I think it’s time we end these pointless trials.” She walked over and joined Harry and Draco by their sides, putting her hands on their shoulders assumedly to comfort them. 

Coyle scoffed, “Forgive me, Professor, but these boys could go down in history for this ground-breaking spell invention. How could you not want that kind of publicity!? Think of how much money it could bring to this school!”

McGonagall straightened up a bit and folded her hands together at her waist as she’d always done when she was about to out-wit someone. “Forgive me, gentlemen, but I think you’re forgetting who these boys are and how prestigious this school is. They’ve seen enough limelight in their lives to be sick of it by now, and Hogwarts has been doing just fine for over a thousand years, so we aren’t in any need of ‘publicity’ as you call it.” She finished her sentence with a cocked eyebrow that dared them to challenge her.

“Professor---” Coyle tried to butt back in, but McGonagall cut him off again brilliantly.

“Now, gentlemen, I must ask that you leave, and I think any visits from here on out are completely unnecessary and unwanted. You’ll have to find another test subject somewhere because I will not allow you to harm my boys anymore!” She pointed in the direction of the exit. 

Gregson quickly started making his way toward it but paused when he noticed Coyle made no move to follow. “You’re making a big mistake!” Coyle said as he grabbed his case and stormed away. 

“And don’t bother coming back, unless you want me to set Peeves on you. I’m sure you remember your last encounter with him, Ewan… I do,” McGonagall said calmly yet loud enough for the men to hear.

Suddenly, Coyle turned back looking at her dumbfoundedly. His mouth was wide open, and his eyes had grown wide with shock. Gregson had to pull him out of his state by yanking at his elbow, and they both continued on their way. 

They all watched as the men rounded the corner out of sight before turning toward each other to speak. McGonagall took one look at their curious expressions and smirked. “Let’s just say Ewan is no longer a fan of chewing gum… or the old dungeons for that matter.” Draco laughed a little at all the different ways Prreves could have tortured Coyle with chewing gum, and he suddenly gained a small fondness for the annoying poltergeist. 

McGonagall continued, shaking him from his thoughts. “Well, at least we know now that you will be separated,” she said as she wrung her hands together in front of her. “I’m sorry it won’t be as soon as you’d hoped it’d be, but we’ll keep track of the progress every week or so until you are completely free of each other. I think that would be best.” 

“Forgive me, professor, but how are we going to monitor the situation?” Harry asked curiously. “I mean… do you know the spell?” 

Now Draco looked up at her curiously because he was also interested in the answer to that question.

“Why don’t you boys leave that business to me, and I’ll make sure to monitor you as your situation progresses. I just need you, boys, to remain as you are until we are certain you are separated for good.” She finished that sentence but then a very solemn look came over her. “I am very sorry you have to stay with each other given your pasts. If there was anything I could do for you both, you know I’d do it in a heartbeat.” She reached out and gave them both a reassuring look as well as a soft touch on the shoulder before turning to leave. 

They watched as she disappeared in the same direction as the men did previously and then turned back to look at each other. “Well, that certainly was an interesting twist of events for the day,” said Harry, trying to lighten the mood. 

Draco let out a small laugh at that and cast a Tempus to see how much time they’d wasted. “Yeah, and we’ve missed lunch all-together. Remind me to send them a nice thank you note for that one,” he replied sarcastically. 

Harry groaned and leaned up against the nearest wall. “Great, now I’ll never finish my Transfiguration scroll before class,” groaned Harry.

Draco laughed, “That’s what you get for procrastinating, Potter,” he looked over at the boy who was scowling at him now. He tried to smile at him, but the scowl remained. “Oh, alright. Fine. I’ll write it for you while you’re taking notes today in class, and you can sneak it to Mutatio’s stack when he’s not looking,” he said rolling his eyes. “Will that make you feel better?”

Harry's eyes brightened, and Draco stepped forward just to be closer to him. “But you’re going to owe me for it later,” he added completely seriously and not meaning it as any sort of innuendo.

Harry pushed himself off the wall, grabbed the sides of Draco’s robes, and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Don’t worry, Draco. I think I know a way to make it up to you that we will both find satisfying.” Draco mouth fell open, thinking about the implications. He saw Harry wink at him and walk jauntily ahead of him sort of victoriously. What he’d won, Draco had no idea, but it was still pleasurable all the same to see the boy so giddy. He only wished Harry’s robes weren’t blocking the view he would’ve had if they weren’t there. 

It was the tug of his energy that pulled him out of his thoughts, and he hastily caught up to Harry to join him in his next class. However, his mind was filled with all sorts of things he definitely should not be thinking about just then. He bit his bottom lip and tried thinking of vile things to get his mind out of the gutter and back to reality. 

It didn’t work.

While in Harry’s class, he struggled writing the ending to Harry’s essay more than he’d ever struggled with any of his essays in the past. He looked over at the boy who was furiously taking notes beside him. He seemed completely fine, and that just wasn’t okay for Draco. No, if he was as uncomfortable as he was, then Potter should be as well. Luckily, Harry had sat down in the desk to his right, so he could continue writing the essay and use his right hand to make Harry as uncomfortable as possible.

He remembered a game that he used to play with the other Slytherins in the common room. It was a sort of “chicken” type of game where a member of the opposite sex would place their hand on your knee and keep moving it upward until you felt too uncomfortable and shouted “Mercy” to get them to stop. He figured now was as good of a time as any to bring that good, old game back. 

He dipped his quill into his ink and started writing the next line, but as he did so, he placed his right hand underneath his desk next to Harry’s leg. So far, the other boy hadn’t noticed anything amiss. 

A moment passed, and Draco scooted closer to Harry, pretending to get more comfortable in his seat. Harry looked over to him that time, but he only smiled and continued to take notes. 

Draco slowly reached up and placed his hand on Harry’s knee and had to hold back his laughter when the boy jerked up and sharply inhaled in shock. He looked over to Draco, but Draco kept looking at his writing as he continued it. 

“Draco, what are you doing? Someone could see,” Harry whispered, trying to sound seriously yet remain unnoticed. 

To answer him, Draco just slid his had upwards a few inches and reveled in the reaction he received from Harry once again. The boy tensed up but seemingly understood what Draco was doing now. “Draco, now is not a good time to play Mercy. Someone could look over at any moment.” 

“Shh, Potter,” he said still not looking up from Harry’s scroll as he wrote. “The only reason they’d look is if you cause a scene. Shut up, and they’ll be none the wiser.” He moved his hand up farther, which elicited a satisfyingly soft whine from the other boy. 

Nervously, Harry started shaking his other leg under the table, and Draco moved his hand higher. He was dangerously close to the other boy’s groin, and he could feel the tightness in Harry’s trousers now that he was positioned there. He couldn’t suppress his smile then. He was loving this. Harry was visibly uncomfortable and rendered completely unfocused on Mutatio’s lesson, so Draco removed his hand and continued writing as if nothing had ever happened. 

Harry gripped the sides of the desk and looked over at him. “I hate you,” he whispered, but Draco knew he didn’t mean it. 

“No, you don’t, Potter. We both know that.” He looked over and gave the boy a small wink before returning to finish the essay. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After class, Draco was easily able to sneak Harry’s essay into the stack with the rest of the others while Harry distracted Mutatio. 

Much to Draco’s dismay, Harry insisted that they have dinner in the Great Hall with his friends, and Draco did his best to get through that situation without much trouble. He didn’t want to admit it, but hanging out with Granger and the Weasel was getting easier each time. However, he still held the strong view that Granger was an insufferable know it all, and the Weasel was just a lump of dumb, extra baggage they carried along with them. However, he’d successfully eaten with them without being hexed by another Gryffindor, so things were definitely improving.

When they got back into their room, they experienced their first uncomfortable situation with each other in a long while. Both boys didn’t seem to know how to act around each other now that things had changed. Draco quickly moved to sit down on the sofa and motioned for Harry to join him. When Harry was seated, he spoke, “So, uh… what happens now?” He folded his hands together in his lap and tried to hide his nervousness. 

Harry laughed. “Well, Draco… what do you want to happen now?” 

All kinds of thoughts began whirling around in Draco’s head after that question, but he was afraid to admit any of them because he didn’t want Harry to think him odd. The truth was that he couldn’t stop thinking about their kiss from that morning and he desperately wanted to do it again to see if he felt the same afterward. He also wanted desperately to hold Harry’s body against his and feel how perfectly they fit together. He wanted to run his hands through his unruly curls as he kissed him senseless… and he wanted so badly, to feel as Harry did the same things to him. 

But he couldn’t bring himself to say these things. Instead, he said, “I don’t know, Harry. What do you want to happen?” 

Harry laughed again, and Draco felt him as he shifted to face Draco while still sitting on the sofa. Draco looked over at him to see that the redness in his face had returned. Suddenly, Harry grabbed the tie that he’d loosened when he’d walked in, and he held it for a moment, brushing it back and forth with his thumb. “I asked you first, Draco,” he said with a deep voice as he leaned forward slightly. 

Draco leaned forward too, matching his movement. They were inches apart at this moment, and Draco could see the pleading look in the other boy’s expression, and he could feel Harry’s breathing on his face and neck, but neither of them did not dare look away from the other’s eyes. “I want...” he said unable to finish the sentence from being in a daze, and he leaned closer. “I want you to kiss me again” there was a sense of urgency in his voice that Harry responded to by pulling his tie and bringing their mouths together. 

Draco moaned into the soft lips and deepened the kiss by parting his lips and letting Harry’s tongue explore his mouth. Draco brought his hands up and thrust his hands into Harry’s hair and felt as his soft curls tickled his fingertips. He felt himself pulling Harry towards himself and the armrest of the sofa as he leaned up against it. 

Harry crawled onto the sofa and Draco parted his legs so Harry could continue to kiss him while laying on Draco’s torso between them. Once Harry was positioned comfortably, they resumed kissing and Draco breathed in the heavy scent that was so comfortingly Harry. 

Since Draco was straddling Harry’s hips, he’d become extremely aware of how aroused they’d become and he desperately needed some friction. He grabbed Harry’s hips and held them still as he rolled his hips against him, eliciting a moan from the other boy as he bit the bottom of Draco’s lip. 

“God, Draco,” he said pulling away from Draco’s lips to catch his breath for a moment. “I want to see you so badly right now.”

Draco laughed breathlessly, “And am I invisible now, or what, Harry?”

Harry laughed too, “No, Draco… I mean I want to see you,” he said, giving him a knowing look and running the hand that wasn’t holding him up down Draco’s body, untucking his shirt and resting his hand on Draco’s bare skin.

Draco nodded in realisation and tapped Harry on the arm, telling him to stand. Both boys stood now, taking in each other's disheveled appearances. Draco looked at Harry and noticed the green in his eyes was only a small ring around the black irises that were widened in arousal. He smiled and removed his tie without looking away. The other boy smiled and stepped closer, reaching up to his own tie and removing it. Both boys took their time removing clothing and watching each other as they undressed. 

Draco freely took in each defined muscle as it made it’s appearance and stared longingly at the pelvic muscles that focused his eyes on Harry’s groin, which was still covered by his underwear. Draco frowned and looked back up to Harry’s eyes, which were traveling all over his body. He straightened up and allowed the boy to step closer and touch him. 

Harry started by tracing the scars that trailed all across his chest, and Draco recognised the apology in Harry’s eyes. He grabbed Harry’s hands but did not remove them from his chest. Then he whispered, “Stop apologizing for this. We’ve talked about this. Neither one of us is capable of changing the past, so let’s just enjoy the present. And presently, I’d like to see you too.” He brought the hands to his mouth and gave them a soft kiss, and the other boy smiled back. 

Harry reclaimed his hands and brought them to Draco’s face, pulling him in to kiss him again. “You are absolutely stunning. You know that right?” he said, looking into his eyes. 

“Well, you’re not half bad looking yourself,” he said smiling as he pushed himself closer to the boy and traced his fingers along Harry’s underwear line. Harry responded to this by doing the same with Draco’s underwear, and without having to say anything, they both removed each other's pants, revealing two extremely swollen erections. Draco’s was longer than Harry’s, but Harry’s was definitely more rotund. Both of them were throbbing and asking for attention. 

Draco felt Harry’s hands wrap around his cock and he moaned and bit his lip at the feeling it gave him. He quickly did the same to Harry’s. They kissed as they began to gently stroke, and suddenly, Draco felt a warm, jelly-like liquid being spread all over both of their cocks, making the delicious friction much more pleasurable. 

Draco hadn’t realised his eyes were closed until they snapped open at the feeling. He moaned again and heard Harry do the same. “Where’d you learn that trick?” he asked Harry between breaths.

Harry chuckled, “Let’s just say that I learned a lot from Eddie this summer.”

Draco felt a pang of jealousy, but that was overridden by Harry's thumb grazing over the head of his cock. He shuddered and then Harry’s mouth caught his in another kiss as they continued to stroke. Draco had never felt anything so pleasurable in his life, so he knew he wasn’t going to last long.

Harry ran his thumb over the head again, and this was enough to send Draco over the edge. “Harry, I’m…” He didn’t get to finish that sentence because he began moaning as he spilled cum all over Harry’s hand. Harry just grabbed his lips again with his own and thrust his hips into Draco’s hand to remind him to continue stroking, which Draco complied with gladly.

His quick strokes were enough to keep Harry aroused, but Draco found that when he pulled inward toward Harry’s stomach, he received a loud moan in return, so he continued using that motion. He also noticed a large vein on the underside of Harry’s cock that was particularly sensitive. He made sure to put extra pressure there as well. 

After a few moments of delicious moaning from Harry, Draco felt the cock in his hands tighten as if it were about to release. He pulled Harry’s head up and kissed him once before looking into the boy’s eyes and saying, “Cum for me Harry Potter.” Harry’s irises nearly took over his whole eyes with the statement, and Draco felt his release on his hands. Harry thrust several more time riding out the orgasm and resting his head on Draco’s shoulder as he did so. 

“God, Draco… that was so…” he stopped to catch his breath.

“I know, Harry,” he said, bringing the boy into another kiss. “I know.” Nothing more needed to be said at that moment. They pressed their foreheads together and rested for a moment before walking over to the bathroom together, showering off, and tucking themselves into bed. Draco took over the big spoon position, and this time, Harry did hold his hand as he rested it against the boy’s chest. 

Draco smiled into the other boy’s hair and whispered, “G’night, Harry,” before squeezing Harry gently and closing his eyes. 

“Night, Draco,” Harry said tiredly and squeezed Draco’s hand, and Draco didn’t think he’d ever been happier, even if this was the most unorthodox situation he’d ever found himself in.


	19. Making Headlines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ginny's back, and she isn't happy. Our boys also explore their new feelings for each other and a lot gets explained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to give a shoutout to all of you who continue to comment and leave such kinds words for me. You keep me motivated along with everyone else who sends their praise through Kudos. 
> 
> I'd like to give a special shoutout to Persephoplace, Solangelo_blitzstone_cures_my_depression, Chococat, forgottenwebkinz, Usernametaken for continuing to support and comment.
> 
> All of you keep me motivated, and I am very glad you are still here with me. 
> 
> I'll be going on a short trip soon, so I don't know when I'll update next, but I'll try not to keep you waiting too long. The Hogsmeade trip is coming up, and things have been going smoothly for our boys for a while now... a little too smoothly if you catch my drift...
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Draco awoke the next morning feeling more comfortable than he’d felt in a while. He was laying on his back and looked down to see that Harry was curled up against him and resting his head on Draco’s shoulder, under his arm. However, this time, Draco’s arm wasn’t tingling from falling asleep, and he had no desire to escape this situation before Harry awoke. Harry’s curls, which were more like waves now because they’d gotten so long, rested on his arm and chest, and Draco could feel the heat from Harry’s breath on his side. The sweet smell of Harry’s shampoo was also pleasing and comforting for Draco, and he could always count on the boy to smell of coconut and lime, which gained him a new fondness for muggle shampoo. 

Draco reached up with his free hand and began tracing lines up and down the arm that rested on his chest, and he thought about everything that had occurred the previous night. Come to think of it, he’d not been nervous with Harry in the slightest bit. Of course, he’d kissed girls and made out with them on rare occasions, but he’d never gone as far as he had with Harry. The scene played out in his mind again and he began to feel the effects in his groin. 

He thought suddenly, how natural it all came to him. He’d not thought twice about taking Harry into his hands or the fact that he’d let himself be pleasured by another bloke. It felt so right, and he couldn’t help but smile as he was remembering it all. 

He looked back over at the mass of waves that fell loosely onto him and watched as they moved with his own breath. He leaned over and placed a small kiss atop Harry’s head and continued tracing patterns on the boy’s arm. If anyone would have told him just over a month ago that he’d be cuddling up in bed next to Harry Potter, let alone enjoy it, he would have hexed them to oblivion. But now, he couldn’t think of anything else he’d rather do. 

It’s interesting really how they could go from completely despising each other, to later tolerating each other and eventually caring for each other. And Draco did care for Harry, even if he still believed this to be a temporary situation. Thinking of it now, he’d always cared about Harry a little. 

His memory took him back to their first true meeting. It actually hurt his feelings that Harry didn’t want to be his friend then, and he’d been so hurt that he’d created this rivalry between them… and for what? He’d not been too proud to recognise that it was originally pure spite that he’d pitted himself against the boy, and he guessed it’d all been because he was hurt that Harry hadn’t accepted his hand in friendship. However, he also couldn’t blame him now for that. Draco had been a little shit growing up. There was no denying it. 

The rivalry only intensified as they grew older because of who they were. It was as if they were two sides of the same coin. Harry was the chosen one. He was labeled this because of a prophecy that foretold of him defeating Voldemort. However, hadn’t Draco also been chosen too? Hadn’t he been chosen by Voldemort himself to kill the most powerful wizard in the world in order to gain the advantage in the raging war? It was as if the coin had a dark side that represented Draco’s fall into darkness with Voldemort, and a light side that represented Harry’s triumph over evil.

He looked over to the Yin Yang symbol they'd created in Potions and gained more of a liking for it because it related to him more than he’d ever thought it had before. Except, unlike their sculpture, they were becoming closer and closer together with each passing day, and Draco was not going to complain about that. 

Suddenly, Harry began to stir, and this pulled Draco from his thoughts. He watched as the boy gained awareness of where he was, and he smiled when Harry nestled closer to him, getting comfortable again. 

Draco chuckled and placed another small kiss on Harry’s head, letting the boy’s waves tickle his face. “Good morning, Harry,” he whispered with his face still buried under an unruly mass of dark waves. 

Harry didn’t answer, but Draco felt as the boy’s facial muscles moved when he smiled, and this made Draco laugh. “Harry, I know you’re awake.” He stopped tracing patterns into the boy’s forearm, earning him a small, protesting grown from the other boy. “You’re going to have to wake up sooner or later,” he said, not actually bothered with the situation. 

Slowly, Harry straightened out his arms and legs in a stretch, and then he opened his wonderfully green eyes and greeted Draco with a small smile. “G’mernig, Drake,” he said, still half asleep. And Draco couldn’t stop himself. He chuckled again, leaned over, and enveloped Harry’s mouth in a soft kiss. This elicited a small moan from the other boy as he stiffened up and brought his hand up to Draco’s face to deepen it. 

Draco smiled again and pulled away slightly, “Harry, we can’t afford any funny business this morning. We have Advanced Charms to get to.” 

Harry fell back against Draco’s arm and sighed, “But Flitwick is so boring!” 

“Agreed, Harry, but we can’t just start skipping class again. Look what happened last time.”

Harry opened one eye at him, “Yes, but this hasn’t been so bad now. Has it?” 

Draco laughed again, “Well, no, but I can’t take any chances. I’m honestly shocked that we haven’t had any Prophet reporters at our door begging for pictures and interviews. How is your friend, Rita, by the way?” He gave Harry a knowing shoulder nudge at that last bit.

“Ugh! I forgot about her!” He rolled over to his side and cuddled up to Draco once more. “She’d surely find a way to twist this into something awful.” 

Draco curled the arm Harry was laying on up to trace patterns into the boy’s back before he spoke. “Yeah… that she would. However, I’m hoping against all odds that she will never find out.”

There was a sudden knock on their door, which really meant that someone was standing outside the disguised door, knocking on the brick wall. However, the noise startled both of them. Harry’s eyes snapped open, and he looked at Draco a bit panicked. “Who on earth could that be at this hour?” 

“I dunno, Harry,” he said, getting up to answer it. He didn’t bother putting on a top because he figured it was probably just McGonagall, and he liked to take her off guard any chance he could simply because he enjoyed seeing her astonished expression. However, when he answered the door, it wasn’t McGonagall. 

His mouth fell open and he was left speechless when none other than the Weaselette came barging in, pushing him to the side and glaring at Harry who stood up from the bed at the sight of her. 

“Is it real!?” Her glare intensified and her face was nearly as red as a cherry. 

Harry looked at her dumbfounded. “Ginny, what are you---”

“Harry, don’t play games with me right now!” Draco hadn’t noticed, but rolled up in her right hand was a copy of the Daily Prophet. She unrolled it quickly, and there on the front cover was a picture of himself with Harry. ‘So much for staying out of the media,’ he thought. He almost didn’t recognise himself in the photo because he looked so uninhibitedly happy. 

In the photo, he and Harry were carrying their sculpture outside the greenhouses. Harry’s face was that of amused annoyance and Draco remembered that he’d been trying to get help carrying the bulky project. His photo self grabbed the base of the sculpture on the side closest to the camera and leaned in to whisper something into Harry’s ear. If this were the only case, then this picture wouldn’t have been newsworthy at all. However, the lust-filled looks they gave each other left nothing up to interpretation, and it was completely obvious that Draco had said something to make Harry react in a way that showed off his obvious attraction to the other boy. And he didn’t know that he’d also placed his hand atop Harry’s and stroked it with his thumb as he leaned in, but the proof was in front of him now that he did. 

If it hadn’t been that it was in the Daily Fucking Prophet, Draco would have thought the picture nice. However, he became completely mortified as he saw it. He looked at the headline above the photo and read, “HARRY POTTER BOUND TO AN EX-DEATH EATER.” 

His mortification quickly turned into anger, and he told himself that whoever had taken that photo would be tortured in the harshest of ways if he ever found out who’d done it. He looked over and saw that Harry shared the same mortified feeling he had, and he wanted to walk over an calm him, but he refrained. 

The Weaselette stamped her foot. “I said IS THIS REAL!? ” She put her other hand on her hip and waited for Harry to respond. 

Suddenly, Harry got a very annoyed expression on his face. “Ginny, you already know Draco and I have been bound together for the foreseeable future. What are you on about!?” He folded his arms across his bare chest and stared her down. Draco noticed that his eyes were a little crossed because he’d neglected to put on his glasses, and, normally, Draco would have found that endearing, but in the current situation, he was forced to focus on the rude intruder. 

Weaselette’s mouth fell open for a second in shock. “Am I not seeing you two obviously flirting with each other in this photo? This picture speaks a thousand words!” She held it out again, and Draco walked over to stand next to Harry and get a better view. 

“And those words should be that we were about to receive full marks on our Potions project and we were making fun of that oaf they call a professor!” He folded his arms together too and matched her glare. 

“Nobody asked you, you loathsome knob!” She replied angrily, looking at him fiercely. “You’re the one fondling Harry’s hand.” 

Harry uncrossed his arm and started walking toward her, but she slammed the paper down at her side and backed away, so he stopped and dropped his hands by his sides. “Ginny, just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I’m about to shag every bloke I see. Give me some credit.” He felt a small twinge of hurt hearing Harry deny flirting with him. He looked over at the boy, unable to hide that twinge of hurt in his expression. Harry scrunched up his face and gave him an apologetic look in return, but it didn’t help Draco’s feelings. He looked back over to see the girl scoff at them. 

The girl’s anger only intensified at the comment. “Harry, I know you better than anyone, and I know that look you’re giving him! You can’t lie to me!” 

Suddenly, Granger and her sidekick came up halting from a sprint at their doorway. Breathlessly, they looked at Weaselette and then to Harry and Draco. “Sorry, guys. We tried to stop her,” said the red-headed boy with a shrug. 

Granger grabbed the girl’s arm and tried dragging her out of the room saying, “We’ve been over and over this, Ginny.”

The Weaselette yanked her arm away from Granger and shouted, “How would you like it if your boyfriend left you for the likes of him!?” She gestured toward Draco, and Draco glared back at her, ready to obliterate her with his next words. 

Just then, Harry stepped forward and spoke before he could say anything, “Hermione, wait.” Both girls looked at him curiously, and Draco and the Weasel just seemed interested. Harry looked at the Weaselette now, “Ginny, I can’t keep apologising for what happened between us. I’ve already said everything I can say… more than once. It just didn’t work between us, and I can’t help that.” He grabbed the Prophet from her hands and held it up in front of himself with the front page facing her. “Even if what you’re saying was true, it really wouldn’t be anyone’s business but mine and Draco’s.” He looked back at Draco now with a small smirk before concealing his expression again and facing the others.

Granger spoke up again, “Harry’s right, Ginny.” She gave both of the boys a knowing look. “I’m sure this is just Rita Skeeter’s way of trying to stay relevant in the world. We were with the boys when that photo was taken, and even I didn't notice anything amiss. However, even if it were true, it wouldn’t be our business, and there wouldn’t be anything we could do about it anyway. Harry and Draco are two of the most stubborn people we know.” She shrugged and looked away, getting lost in her own thoughts for a moment, “However, they’re so different that it makes you wonder if they would make a good pair. Opposites have been known to attract, especially...” Her voice faltered as her gaze went over to their Yin Yang sculpture they had placed in the corner of the room.

The Weaselette’s gasp pulled her out of her thoughts, “But, of course, that would never happen. Right guys?” She said, looking at them pointedly. 

Draco didn’t know what came over him just then, but he suddenly felt very possessive of Harry. He didn’t think about what he was doing and the consequences that might come from it. He’d lost all touch with the outside world since he’d been back at Hogwarts, and he definitely didn’t consider how others might react if word got out that he and Harry had been intimate, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. And even though he and Harry were just in the process of exploring this new ‘thing’ they had going on between them, he was getting very frustrated with the Weaselette’s unwarranted and brash actions. He was aiming for the shock factor at this moment, so he stepped toward the boy, wrapped his arms around his waist from behind and brought his head down to place a small kiss on Harry’s shoulder. He looked up to see that he’d succeeded. Every face in the room was looking at him in shock, including Harry’s. 

Draco took in the other boy’s gaze and smirked. Then, he looked over at the other three. Granger’s stare was now one of curiosity, the Weasel’s was of disgust, and the Weaselette’s was one of complete hurt. He let go of Harry and addressed the rest of them in the room. They didn’t owe it to any of them to confirm or deny the Weaselett’s accusations, so he thought out his next words carefully. 

He folded his arms and spoke, “Now, if any of you found that offensive, you need to wake up and join the new age. There’s nothing wrong with the love between two blokes. However, being as things are the way they are, I think it’s up to Harry and me to decide if there is anything going on between us, and right now, we simply spend all of our time together because we can’t, fucking leave each other’s sides without disaster! Of course, people are going to assume things!” He grabbed the Prophet from Harry and held up the photo again. “This is a photo of Harry and I trying to make things work in an otherwise unfortunate situation. Nothing more.” He shoved the paper back into the girl’s hands and headed for the bathroom to get ready for the day. Honestly, he had tired of the dramatics and needed to escape, even if that meant leaving Harry to clean up the mess. He’d apologise later. 

‘Slytherin and Gryffindor are about to lose a lot of points for tardiness,’ he thought as he stripped and turned on the shower.   
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several moments later, Draco heard the bathroom door open and what sounded like clothes hitting the floor. He’d been standing under the hot water and just letting his thoughts flow through his mind. He didn’t open his eyes when he heard the shower curtain open, and he kept them closed when he felt strong arms wrap around his waist.

Harry placed a soft kiss to his shoulder blade, and Draco leaned his head back to rest it against the other boy’s. “Your ex is a nutter,” he said calmly, trying not to sound angry. “Does she still believe we were flirting or did you manage to talk her down?” 

Harry chuckled a bit and tightened his grip. “I think we’ve smoothed things over for the moment with her, but I’m sure Hermione now knows...I can’t believe Ginny still isn’t over the fact that I’m gay. I mean, she’s got more proof than anyone that it’s true…. Or… she did before last night.” 

Draco laughed at that and turned to face Harry whilst still remaining in Harry’s arms. He placed his hands on the boy’s shoulders and a small kiss to his forehead. “And what proof is that?” he replied, genuinely curious. He saw Harry’s cheeks go red and the boy’s embarrassment made him chuckle again. 

Harry let go of him with one hand and ran it through his damp hair. “Well, it’s sort of the reason I began to question my sexuality.”

Draco smiled, “Go on.”

“We were…” he cleared his throat and looked away from Draco. “We were becoming intimate one night at the burrow, and I.. well... I couldn’t get it up.”

Draco laughed, “Harry, that hardly means you’re gay.” 

Harry chuckled too, “No, I mean that’s when it struck me that I might be. I hadn’t thought about it until then.” Draco looked at him curiously, and Harry continued, “Well, I began to think back at all the times I’d… well, gotten hard, and it occurred to me then that it may not have been the girls that caused it.”

Now Draco was definitely interested. He wasn’t going to let Harry stop now, even if they were going to miss Charms and even if he was going to get pruney skin from the water. He had to hear the rest of this. “Please tell me more,” he said anxiously. 

Harry laughed now. “The first time it happened that I can remember was with Cho, or at least I thought it was. I saw her at the Yule Ball, and I saw that she was wearing a beautifully crafted dress. However, she was dancing with Cedric at the time.” Both boys flinched at the name but made no further complaint. “Thinking back on that moment made me hard again, and I knew it wasn’t because of her. He was just so goddamn gorgeous.” 

He paused for a moment, seemingly remembering that moment again and Draco got a little jealous, so he ran his arms up Harry’s arms and wrapped them around his neck but still standing back from him a bit. This brought Harry back, and Draco was pleased again.

“Another notable time was during the underwater portion of the Triwizard Tournament. We (Cedric, Fleur, Viktor, and I) were all in our swimming gear after we’d resurfaced, and I Iooked over toward Fleur. I was so nervous that the whole school was about to see me get all excitable, but thankfully, I had a towel to help me cover it. I thought about it later and realized that Viktor had been standing next to Fleur and I had taken extra notice to how his wet clothes clung tightly to his perfectly sculpted body.”

Draco’s jealousy was triggered again, and he shifted uncomfortably in front of Harry.

Harry looked at him apologetically. “Is this too much information?”

Draco wasn’t sure he wanted to hear this anymore, but he nodded anyway, and Harry continued. “Ok, well I’ll stop if you need me to. Just let me know… I guess the last time it happened was when Ginny was near. We were drinking Butterbeer at around tea time, and I saw Ginny at one of the booths in there. She was making out with Dean, and it happened. I had always thought I’d reacted to Ginny, but it must’ve been Dean all along. I mean, the guy really looked like he knew how to kiss, and I found myself wanting to trade paces with Ginny… It wasn’t until we tried having sex for the first time that I even realised that I wasn’t going to be able to get it up for her.”

For some reason, Draco found that scene to be amusing. “How’d she react to that?”

Harry laughed, “Well, she asked me to go down on her, but just the thought of it made me gag.” Draco shuddered too thinking about it then, and Harry continued, “We ended up just sleeping in our own beds that night… and every other night since.” 

“Until you started invading mine, of course,” Draco added matter-of-factly. 

Harry laughed again, “Yeah, well, you didn’t seem to mind.” 

Draco leaned down and kissed him because he couldn’t help himself. Harry’s soft lips and gentle touch were something he was becoming addicted to very quickly, and he didn’t think he’d ever get enough. Then the bloke from the Quibbler popped into his mind, making him jealous all over again.

“So this Eddie guy… were you two like a thing?” He said trying not to sound too bothered by it.

Harry sighed. “Not really. We just noticed each other in a gay, muggle bar, and we experimented for a couple of weeks. There wasn’t really any more to it. He was just good practice.” 

“There are Muggle bars that are just for gay people?” Draco asked extremely curious.

“Yes, Draco,” he said chuckling. “I figured I could go there and not be recognised by anyone… I guess Eddie had the same idea.”

Draco hesitated to ask his next question, and he couldn’t keep from sounding a bit nervous, “Did you guys….. Well, you know?” He bit his lip, not knowing whether or not he actually wanted to hear the answer.

Harry laughed in understanding, “No, Draco. We didn’t. I told him I wanted to save that for someone special… We just did other things, and that was enough for me to get the idea that I was... I am, in fact, gay.” 

Draco smiled in relief. He didn’t know why it bothered him so much. It’s not like it would’ve changed things between them, but he was now hoping he may be the special someone that Harry wanted to finally be fully intimate with. He leaned down again and gave Harry another soft kiss, savoring every second that it lasted. When they finally parted mouths, Draco said, “Now, Harry, we’ve already missed getting to Charms in a timely manner, and my skin is that of a raisin now. We need to finish up here so we aren’t late to your Defense Against the Dark Arts class. You know I don’t mind joining you in that one. At least the current professor isn’t a nutter.”

Harry smiled and grabbed his sweet-smelling shampoo and began to wash off. “Okay, but just so you know, I’ll be getting your story out of you soon now that you know mine.” 

Draco smiled, “Later, Potter… maybe when I don’t look like a dried up grape.” Draco waited until he was finished before they both got out of the shower and got ready for the day.   
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
They’d made it through the rest of the day without any further incident, and they made sure to steer clear of the Weaselette for good measure. Anybody who had seen the article summed it up to being old news because they’d been living with the bound pair for more than a month, so they didn’t look too far into it. 

Once they’d gotten back to their room, Harry slammed him up against the door, catching Draco a little off guard. However, he had not protested in the slightest.

Later on that evening, Draco rested his head against Harry's chest and caught his breath. They’d just had a repeat performance from the night before, and it was even better for him the second time around. He vowed to next time get his mouth involved because he was beginning to get desperate to see how Harry tasted. He watched as Harry’s stomach moved up and down as he breathed and brought his hand up to rest it on the other boy’s chest next to his own head. He felt as Harry also brought up his hand to lace their fingers together, and he smiled. 

Through his breathing, Harry spoke, “I believe you owe me a story.” He sounded genuinely curious and Draco knew it wasn’t a command. 

Draco chuckled and repositioned himself so that he was resting his head on his hand that was propped up on his elbow. He looked at Harry and smiled. “What do you want to know?” 

Harry hesitated when asking his next question as if he was afraid to offend Draco. “Have you-- Have you always been attracted to blokes, or is it just me?” 

Draco laughed and gave Harry a small peck on the lips. “Well, I hadn’t really thought about it until recently, Harry. I guess I can’t say that I’m one-hundred percent straight seeing as how we are... well.. whatever we are, but I can only ever remember being attracted to girls. I guess I sort of had an inkling when I couldn’t stop staring at your bloody eyes or stomach muscles, but I sort of pushed them into my subconscious so that I wouldn’t have to deal with the fact I was having feelings for a bloke I’ve hated my whole life.” He ran his hand through his hair and looked at Harry to see his expression. He noticed confusion on the other boy’s face. “What’s that look for?” He asked, taking his hand from his head and placing it on Harry’s arm. 

“So, have you also had similar instances with other blokes? Maybe you’re bisexual or something” Harry said, trying to be helpful.

“I’m not sure what I am, Harry,” he said sighing. “Like I said, exploring these feelings is all new for me, and I’m not sure I’m even attracted to specific genders… I’ve never allowed myself to think of such things before, so I just don’t know. It could be more of a personality thing for me rather than gender, but I haven’t figured it out...“

Harry nodded at him in understanding. “I get it, Draco. You don’t have to put a label on yourself if you don’t want to.” Harry kissed him, and Draco rested his head against the boy’s chest again. Harry chuckled and continued, “So which is it that you’re attracted to with me? My looks? Or my personality?” He laughed, and Draco did too.

“What says I’m attracted to you, Potter. Maybe I’m just using you for your body.” He said in sarcasm. 

Harry chuckled and gave him a playful slap on the arm. “C’mon, Draco. I’m curious.”

Draco kept his head on Harry’s chest but looked up at him at an awkward angle. “It’s your eyes, really… I like how they look when the sun hits them. The first time I really noticed them, it was like I was seeing you all over again… like you were a different person.” Harry began tracing patterns onto his back with his fingertips as he held Draco next to him, and he let Draco continue. “When we got bunked up together, I found myself watching you more and more. You have a funny way of doing things,” he said chuckling a bit.

Harry chuckled too, “I could say the same about you, but go on.”

“Well, it’s just... I like the way you study. You have to be in constant motion, and I find that amusing.” He smiled and he felt as Harry laughed a little in return.” “You twiddle your quill, shake your leg, and even you bite your tongue when you have nothing else to mess with. You take short, quick breaths when you get a new idea, and you seem to lose all thought that the world around you exists, and you enter a world that is entirely your own.” Harry brought up his other hand and laced their finger together. Draco hadn’t realised that this was the second time Harry had heard that phrase. 

“For what it’s worth, I also like that you sleep with your shirt off. I was able to appreciate every muscle in your arms and torso, even though I refused to admit it to myself until now.”

Harry laughed outright then, “You’re a cheeky bugger, aren’t you?” 

Draco blushed. “Yeah, well, it’s not like you didn’t already know,” he said, unable to contain his smile. 

“I actually have a confession to make, Draco.” Harry tapped his arm, letting him know he’d like to sit up, so Draco did so at once. They sat there cross-legged in front of each other, and Harry reached out and grabbed Draco’s hands. He cleared his throat and seemed to get quite nervous suddenly, and Draco began to worry about what he was going to say. “Remember that first day we got back to Hogwarts, and we were the last to get our luggage?”

Draco remembered it clearly. A lot of his clothes still didn’t fit right because Harry had shrunken his luggage that day. “I do. My custom shirts are still too snug on me. Thanks for that by the way.” 

Harry blushed but continued anyway. “Well, when I saw you on the train, I couldn’t look away from you. I waited until you grabbed your luggage just so that I could speak to you. However, you gave me such a cold greeting that I sort of lost any hope of reconciliation after that… So I kept my distance.” He shifted uncomfortably but did not let go of Draco’s hands. “For a while, at least.”

Suddenly, the boy stood up and walked briskly over to his trunk that lay at the foot of his bed. He dug through it for a moment and pulled out a beautiful, old cloak. Draco laughed and looked at him curiously. 

“I couldn’t help myself, Draco. You were.. Are... just so goddamn gorgeous, and I just wanted to be near you.” He looked at Draco with an expression that Draco couldn’t really decipher, but it seemed to be worry written all over his face.

Suddenly, Draco realised what was going on. Harry was about to show him his invisibility cloak. His eyes brightened at the realisation. “Harry, what are you on about, and what does it have to do with your invisibility cloak?” He pulled his knees that were still under the sheet up and wrapped his arms around them. 

Harry’s mouth dropped. “How did you kno--”

Draco cut him off, “Harry, I kind of worked out that you had one when I used it to cover your petrified body on the train during sixth year.” He shuddered at the memory and quickly suppressed it again.

Harry must’ve done the same because he shook his head and refocused on him again. “I’d forgotten about that,” he said rubbing his nose. 

“I also know you’ve been stalking me a bit this year, and now I suspect that you’ve been using that,” he motioned to the cloak, “to do it and not get caught.” He smiled, knowing that he was spot on.

Harry blushed, knowing he’d been caught. You can’t blame me for liking to watch you when you didn’t think anyone else was.” When this didn’t seem to phase Draco, Harry became less nervous and continued. ”I liked that you’ve grown your hair out, and I definitely think you should sit in front of more windows.” He chuckled a bit, and it was Draco’s turn to blush. Harry put away the cloak and walked over toward him. “The way the sun shines on your hair brings out all of the different shades of blonde and gold, and when positioned correctly, your eyes look more blue than grey. I like the way the corners of your mouth turn upward when you find something amusing, and when you smile when you really get lost in what you’re reading.”

Draco wasn’t accustomed to being complimented so much, so he wasn’t sure how to act. However, he was still blushing madly. “Since when are you sentimental?” 

Harry stepped back in mock surprise. “Can’t a boy give another bloke a compliment without being patronized?”

“Just shut up,” he said, pulling Harry forward and kissing him for what seemed like the millionth time that day. 

After a few moments, they broke apart again, and suddenly realised how late it’d become. “I suppose we ought to go to bed now. You’ve got Herbology in the morning, and Sprout is really going to want to see that awful tree of yours.” Harry motioned over toward the tree that was doing surprisingly well, considering Draco kept forgetting about it. 

Draco scowled and groaned. 

“Hey, you’re the one who pissed her off. Maybe try being nice to her sometime, and then you won’t get extra jobs,” he said jokingly, but there was truth to his statement. 

“Harry, have you forgotten who I am.” He looked him up and down. “Nice is not something I’m known for.”

Harry laughed. “Yeah, well, it was worth a shot.” Harry sat down next to him and they looked at each other for a moment. Harry ran his hand through Draco’s hair and then rested it on his cheek. “You know, even in the dim lighting, you’re still the best looking bloke in this school.” 

Draco laughed, “Now, you’re just trying to get into my pants, Harry.”   
Harry blushed, “So what if I am, Draco. Are you going to stop me?” He gave Draco a flirtatious look that sent a tingle directly to Draco’s groin. He saw that Harry’s eyes were also lust-filled and they both felt the heat rising between them.

Draco brought Harry in for another kiss and was pleased when Harry deepened it. He felt hands run through his hair and down his back as Harry climbed on top of him. He scooted both of them back so that he could lay on the pillows with Harry between his legs, and since they were still naked from their earlier tryst, their bare cocks rubbed together, creating wonderful friction. 

Harry let go of his mouth and Draco was about to protest, but suddenly he felt a line of kisses being trailed down his cheek and the boy began sucking on his neck. Draco moaned from the euphoric feeling. However, Harry didn’t stop there. He placed kisses down his collarbone and chest before running his tongue over Draco’s abs, and Draco was getting more and more breathless. “I want to taste you, Draco,” he said coming up to see Draco’s eyes. Draco felt his cock jump at the statement, and he nodded and the boy for him to continue. 

“Please,” he said in almost a desperate voice. 

Draco gasped deeply when he felt Harry’s tongue lick up the underside of his cock and he grabbed the sheets beside him in an attempt to keep his hips still. “God, Harry. Do that again.” And Harry did, eliciting another moan from Draco, but that was nothing compared to the feeling Draco got when Harry took all of Draco’s arousal into his mouth. The heat of Harry’ mouth was fantastic and Draco knew there was no way he’d last long at this rate. He bit down hard on his lip and looked down to see Harry looking back up at him. God, the boy was gorgeous, even in this position. 

Harry started bobbing his head up and down and Draco laced his fingers through Harry’s hair and arched his back. Harry grabbed his hips to keep him still as he worked. “I’m gonna cum soon if you keep that up,” he said whimpering.

Harry released him with a small pop and responded, “Good.” Then he took Draco back into his mouth and began bobbing again. The part he couldn’t fit he stroked with his free hand, and Draco lost control of himself. “Ohhh, god, Harry… I’m cumming!” His thrusting hips were held firmly in place by the other boy, but Harry did not remove himself from Draco’s cock as he came. Draco felt the warm liquid spilling out of his erection into Harry’s mouth, and the extremely pleasurable feeling he got when he felt Harry hum around him. 

Harry finally let him go when he stopped trying to thrust his hips. He lay there catching his breath, and watched as Harry wiped his mouth with the edge of the duvet before coming back up and kissing Draco softly. “Merlin, Harry!” he said, still coming down from his high. “Remind me to thank Eddie when I see him next. That was bloody amazing!” 

Harry laughed and said, “Don’t bring Eddie into this, Draco. And don’t give him credit for my work.” He winked at Draco and Draco laughed in return. 

Harry laid down next to him and began stroking himself, and as much as Draco was enjoying watching that, he wanted to return the favor. He rolled over so that he was on top of Harry this time, and he began to mimic Harry’s previous actions. He didn’t really know what to do, but since what Harry did to him felt so good, he figured he’d start there. 

“Draco, you don’t owe me anything. You don’t have to do this if you’re not ready,” Harry said, trying to be understanding.

“Just shut up, Harry,” Draco said in-between kisses. “I want this,” he said as he kissed each one of Harry’s pronounced abdominal muscles he’d admired for so long. Harry ran his fingers through Draco’s hair and gave him a small tug each time he found something particularly pleasurable. 

Draco was really enjoying the small sounds Harry made as he worked his way down the boy’s body. He stopped when he reached the throbbing cock and moved down to place small kisses to his inner thigh. He knew he was teasing the boy, but he wanted to hear Harry beg before he took him into his mouth. He moved closer and closer, placing gentle kisses along the way, but he never made contact, and he could almost hear the frustration in the other boy’s moans. He realised that Harry wasn’t catching onto his game, so he licked the tip of his cock, but did not do more. Instead, he returned to kissing around it, hoping the boy would plead.

He was not disappointed. 

“Merlin, Draco. Are you trying to torture me?” Harry said in utter desperation.

Draco smiled and took his cue. He licked along the underside of Harry’s cock just as the boy had done for him earlier, and he was pleased to hear the responding moan. Then he took in a portion of Harry’s cock, making sure to swirl his tongue around the tip, earning him a stronger tug to his hair and a deeper moan. 

Even though he’d never done anything like this before, he knew well enough to keep his teeth out of the equation. He slid his mouth down Harry’s cock, making sure his tongue cupped around it as he did so. Harry removed his hands from Draco’s hair, tossed his head back, and grabbed at the sheets around them. Suddenly, Draco knew why Harry had held onto his hips so tightly earlier. When Harry thrust upward, it triggered Draco’s gag reflex and he had to come up for a second to regain his composure.

“Sorry, Draco. I can’t help it,” Harry said, gripping the sheets tighter as Draco came down and engulfed him again. 

Draco held onto Harry’s hips tightly after that and began bobbing his head, making sure to swirl his tongue around the tip of Harry’s leaking cock every few times. When he didn’t think Harry would last much longer, he hummed to create the same vibrating feeling he’d experienced earlier and Harry reacted brilliantly. 

“OH, god Draco! I’m so fucking close. Do that a-fucking-gain!” 

And Draco obliged. He felt Harry’s cock twitch as if he were about to cum, and Draco removed his mouth. He decided then he wasn’t ready to swallow just yet, so he replaced his mouth with his hand and finished Harry off by stroking him and kissing him as he came. Harry thrust wildly into his hand for a few moments, and Draco deepened their kiss by exploring Harry’s mouth with his tongue. 

Once Harry stopped thrusting, Draco laid down beside him, and they both relaxed for a moment, catching their breath. Harry was the first to break the silence. “Gods, Draco… you were brilliant. Are you sure that was your first time?”

Draco laughed. “I’m one-hundred percent positive, Harry.” He smiled and looked over at the boy who was giving him a look he’d never seen before. He couldn’t decipher it, but he never wanted it to fade. He rolled over, and place one more soft kiss to Harry’s lips before closing his eyes and resting his head on his pillow. Without intending to, he fell asleep then and there, completely exhausted after that strenuous act. 

Harry looked over at him and began to speak, but noticed that Draco was asleep. He smiled, brushed Draco’s hair out of his face, and snuggled in closer. Not long afterward, they were both peacefully sleeping, completely intertwined with one another, just as they preferred to be.


	20. Hogsmeade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys head out to Hogsmeade to purchase their Christmas gifts, but they run into an old acquaintance that causes them more trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for continuing with me on this journey! I hope you like this next chapter!
> 
>  
> 
> And another special thanks to NanBlythe and Persephoplace for their continued support! <3

The Monday before the Hogsmeade trip came sooner than the boys realised. They’d both attended classes and caught up on their school work without any major issues. Professor Sprout had given Draco full marks for caring for the Hyena Tree so well, and Flitwick didn’t seem to notice that they’d skipped. There was the occasional messing about in their free time, but mostly, things progressed as usual in their state. Granger still insisted that they eat meals together, and even though Draco couldn’t bring himself to admit it, he was getting used to having Harry’s two friends around and hearing what they had to say. 

They were sitting in the Great Hall that evening discussing what their plans were going to be for the next day, and Draco found that he was actually dying to get out of the castle and get a different view since it felt like he’d been cooped up for so long. Granger suggested that the group shopped together at the beginning of the day, but then they would need to separate in order to get gifts for each other during the second part of the day. Draco would have preferred to just shop on his own, but that was a physical impossibility, so he decided to go with the flow instead of resisting just to make things easier. 

“That’s easier said than done for us,” Draco commented in an almost joking manner before he could stop himself. 

Granger looked at him and smirked. “What I meant, Draco, was that Ronald, myself and the both of you would have to split up. Obviously, you two would have to stay pretty close together, but you could still wait outside the shops while you're looking for each other’s gifts…. That’s assuming you are getting gifts for each other.” She said the last bit in a rush with an apologetic look on her face as if she had presumed something that she shouldn't. 

Draco bit back a laugh, but he couldn’t stop the smile, and Harry spoke before he could. “Well, we haven’t really talked about it, but I think I know what I’d get Draco if we were to exchange gifts.” Harry looked at him and gave him a crooked smile, but his eyes gave away his apprehension. 

Draco smiled back and he rested his hand on the boy’s knee underneath the table to reassure him. He felt the boy move into the touch and he tried to hide the blood that rushed to his face from the others. “Actually, I have been thinking about it, but what are you supposed to get for the saviour of the Wizarding World? Especially since you have strange tastes in almost everything.” He smirked and felt confident enough to turn back toward the others now that he felt the blood drain a bit from his cheeks.

Granger chuckled and spoke, “My thoughts exactly, Draco!” 

Suddenly, their pleasant conversation was interrupted when the Weasel slammed his knife and fork down on the table next to his half-empty plate, making a much louder noise than Draco was sure he intended. They all looked up at him in shock to see the boy had gone red in the face, seemingly angry. He sighed heavily before speaking, “What the hell has gotten into all of you!?” He looked from one person to the next with a searing expression. “It’s like you’ve forgotten about the last, I dunno, ten years and everything that’s happened!” He looked directly at Harry now and stood up. “Harry, have you forgotten who this is?” He pointed at Draco. “This is the same, fucking bloke that harassed you for years. He’s the bloke that chose Voldemort over sanity…. He is the fucking guy with a father that allowed his home to be the sodding headquarters for their evil scheming.” Then, he looked directly at Draco and threw a finger in his face. “I don’t trust you, and I’m not about to let you hurt my friend again.” 

Harry stood up as if he was about to protest, and Granger threw her hands around the Weasel’s arm to try to pull him back to his chair, but he obviously wasn’t having any of that. He looked back at Harry, but this time with a hurt expression. “Have you forgotten that I’m supposed to be your best mate? I’m the one who’s always been there. Me and Hermione that is, and now you’re always off with him, and things aren’t the same, and I don’t know how to handle all that….. I feel like I’ve lost my best friend.” 

They all stared at him, stunned at the abrupt outburst. Suddenly, the Weasel stood up and started walking out of the Hall. Harry and Granger followed, and Draco got up to go after them all. Once they were away from the other students, Harry spoke up. “Ron, wait!...” The Weasel stopped walking but did not turn to face them. “Ron…. I’m sorry.”

The Weasel turned around swiftly at that. “Sorry, Harry? You’re sorry!?” his anger had not died down in the slightest based on that reaction. “Does that mean it’s true!? Have I lost my best mate to..” he gestured toward Draco with a heated expression, “... this?” He looked back at Harry and waited for an answer.

Before Harry could say anything, Granger stepped in, “Ronald, you’re being ridiculous! Why don’t--”

“The only one who is ridiculous here is Malfoy, and I was under the impression that you both thought so as well until recently.” His gestures were getting wilder as the conversation progressed, and Draco didn’t think he’d be able to hold his tongue much longer. 

“Ron!” Harry shouted, and Draco turned to look at him. He had his hands balled at his hips and he was glaring at the red-headed boy. “Draco is not the boy he used to be and neither are any of us!” He walked over and stood directly in front of the Weasel and they both glared at each other. “Of course, you’ll always be my best mate, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try to repair some old relationships either, and Draco deserves a second chance… I’m giving him that second chance, and I rather hoped you could as well.” He turned back to look at Draco with an apologetic look in his eyes, and he ran his hands through his hair. 

Draco took this as his cue. He knew well enough that the Weasel needed to see proof in order to believe something, so he walked over toward the taller boy. He looked into his eyes in what he hoped was an unreadable expression, and the other boy crossed his arms as he awaited Draco’s words. “Look, Wea-- Weasley…” He closed his eyes and tried really hard not to show his disdain for speaking the other boy’s name. “Look, I’m not to keen on being around you either, but that’s the situation we’ve found ourselves in...and I’m definitely not trying to get between you and Harry, so you can knock that right on off.” He looked over at Harry to see the other boy giving him an encouraging look. He looked back and continued, “Neither one of us asked for this… We never planned on….” 

Thankfully, Harry cut him off and saved him from the uncomfortable conversation. “You see, Ron, there are very few things in life that people go through that give them the opportunity to really understand someone else, and I guess that’s what’s happened here.” He turned and walked over to the nearest window and raked a hand through his hair. “Draco and I are more similar than we could've ever imagined, and I’m actually quite glad this dreadful thing has happened… It’s allowed us to move on.” He turned back to look at them, and Draco thought he looked absolutely stunning when he was being diplomatic.

Draco saw that Weasley was muddling through several different thoughts. After what seemed like more than a few moments, Weasley spoke up, “If you lot want to be all buddy-buddy, that’s your prerogative.” He pointed his finger at his chest, “Don’t expect me to get on with the likes of him any time soon.” 

Besides being shocked that Weasley knew a word as large as ‘prerogative,’ he was also shocked that the boy was able to stand his ground and fight for what he believed in. Maybe he hadn’t been as daft as he’d originally thought. 

Harry walked over and grabbed Weasley’s shoulders and smiled, much to the other boy’s disliking. “Ron, all I’m asking is that you give him the chance that he deserves, and nothing more. No one said you had to like him.” 

Weasley scoffed, “Good… because it ain’t ever gonna happen. That’s for damn sure.” He uncrossed his arms and walked away, and Granger followed after, giving them both apologetic looks. 

Draco looked back over at Harry who was now raking both of his hands through his hair and standing in front of the window. Draco looked around to make sure they were alone, and then he went over and stood behind Harry. He wanted so much to wrap his arms around the boy’s waist to comfort him, but he couldn’t risk another photo in the Prophet just yet, so he stayed put. 

It was Harry who tilted his head backward and rested it against Draco’s shoulder and Draco took another look around to make sure there was nobody else there. When he was certain, he gave Harry a small kiss to the top of his head and whispered, “Harry, we can’t be doing this here… someone will see.” Yet, he made no effort to move. 

Harry sighed deeply and lifted his head again. Draco missed the contact, but he let Harry go. He thrust his hands in his pockets to keep himself from reaching out to the boy as he turned to face him.

Harry looked up at him his a dismal look in his eyes. “Sorry about Ron, Draco.”

Draco shook his head and looked down. “There’s nothing to be sorry for, Harry. He has every right to be angry, even if he’s wrong. I can see why he’d be upset.” 

Harry crooked up a corner of his mouth at the statement. “I never thought you could be so understanding, especially to Ron.” 

Draco chuckled, “I don’t like him, but that doesn’t mean I can’t understand where he is coming from.” And it was true. He understood the process of losing friends more than anyone.

Harry reached out like he was going to take Draco’s hand, but looked around, remembered where he was, and retracted it. He blushed and looked at the ground and then back up at him. “I like you, Draco.”

It was a simple statement that carried so much weight with it. Draco was unable to stop himself from blushing, so he looked down trying to hide it. His scruff helped with that a little too. “Well, there's no need to be getting all sentimental now,” he replied, not ready yet to express the same, even if he did like Harry. 

Harry laughed and stepped forward. “It's alright, Draco. You don't have to tell me. I already know,” he said with a small wink.

Draco cocked an eyebrow at him but kept his smile. “How presumptuous of you.”

Harry laughed again and stepped even closer so that they were almost touching. “Let's get back to our room.”

This time, Draco did laugh. “Whatever for, Harry?” His tone was playful.

Harry leaned in and whispered, “So I can kiss you whenever I want.” Then he turned and jauntily walked back toward their room, leaving Draco with pressure building up in his trousers and his mouth open. He stayed until he felt the tug of his energy, which sadly seemed to stretch a lot further than it once had, and he followed behind in a rush. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The next morning, they were awakened by someone knocking on their door. Draco groaned and had to slide his arm out from underneath Harry in order to go answer it. Harry stirred at the movement, and his eyes fluttered open shortly after Draco got up. 

Draco expected Granger to be on the other side of the door but was a bit stunned to find McGonagall standing there. “Oh.. Hello, Professor.” He crossed his arms over his bare chest, suddenly feeling naked. “Is there a problem?” 

McGonagall looked past him to Harry who sat up quickly in the bed and put on his glasses. She looked back at Draco and he felt his cheeks flush because he knew she’d realised then they’d stayed in the same bed. “No…” she cleared her throat and seemed to brush off the realisation as she brushed her hands down her robes somewhat nervously. “No, boys. There is no problem. However, I think it’s high time we’ve checked your separation progress. The spell doesn’t seem difficult and I’m going to be administering this test myself. I also wanted to catch you before you headed off to Hogsmeade so that you would know how far you might be able to travel apart.” 

Draco nodded his head and motioned for her to come inside. She obliged and watched them as they both threw on a robe to cover themselves in front of her. When they’d finished, they stood in front of her in the common living area and she knelt down before them, preparing her wand. 

“Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve cast this spell, but it is the first time I’ll be using it on a viable subject. You must forgive me since I haven’t had a lot of practice in this area.”

“I’d rather you than Coyle,” he heard Harry say next to him, and he smiled a bit at the statement. 

He looked over at Harry and gave him a small smile. Harry smiled in return, and they both looked back at McGonagall in unison to give her the go-ahead nod. 

Her first attempt at the spell revealed only a faint glimmer of their energies, but then she tried again, and they appeared in full view. Draco was awed by the sight of their separating energies and noticed for the first time that the small blue and yellow wisps were like small fractures that were on the mend. He noticed that the first few yellow wisps he’d seen separated from his blue energy were re-attaching themselves to Harry’s, and it was really an indescribable sight. The green connection was significantly smaller than he’d seen in the past, and this both excited and worried him at the same time. It wasn’t until he scanned his eyes over their connection again that he noticed a faint, purple line within Harry's yellow energy. This line looked very familiar to Draco, and seeing it now made him angry because it was the exact shape of the scar strewn across Harry’s side. He forced himself to look away so that he wouldn’t become any more upset, especially with McGonagall in the room. 

He looked back at Harry who seemed to be noticing the same things as he had. They shared a small look before McGonagall stopped casting the spell and their energies became invisible to them once again. 

“Well, boys, it looks like you'll be spending the holiday together at this rate, but it shouldn't be much longer than that.” She brushed off her robes again and stood. Draco recalled a time when he and Harry had stood before her when they were younger and she was a giant compared to them. However, now they were the ones towering over her, and for some reason, he found that amusing, even if she was still a force to be reckoned with. 

Harry spoke up then. “Professor?”

“Yes, Potter?” She responded, cocking a curious eyebrow at him. 

He glanced nervously over at Draco and then back to her. “I wonder if I might have a word with you in private?”

Draco found himself staring at the boy with his mouth open. Surely, he was just trying to wind him up….What could he possibly want to speak to her about without him there? He felt a pang of jealousy and frustration course through him, but the look Harry gave him afterward told him not to worry, so he tried to relax a bit. 

McGonagall sighed, “Well, Potter, I’m not sure how private we can get, but go on.” She motioned out the door, and Draco watched as they disappeared into the hall and closed the door. 

Draco waited for what felt like hours but in reality, was only about fifteen minutes. He kept casting the Tempus charm to make sure. After getting himself ready for the day, he sat on the comfy sofa and tapped his toe on the stone floor as he waited. He’d chosen not to wear his school robes and elected to put on pristine, black trousers that showed off his long legs, a white button-up shirt with a soft, grey sweater over the top of it, and some custom, shiny black boots. He allowed his trousers to hug him a bit tighter because he didn’t feel like resizing them at that moment. Besides, he thought they made him look good. If anyone else had seen him, Draco would’ve looked like he’d just walked out of a male modeling magazine. 

Suddenly, the door opened and he heard as Harry said “Thank you” to McGonagall in a soft voice. 

Draco stood up and went to greet the still pajama and robe, clad boy. “What was that all about, Harry? Why are you hiding stuff from me?” 

He saw Harry look him up and down with a wanting smile, seemingly not hearing what Draco had just said. Draco blushed a little when he noticed he was being checked out but still tried remaining stern. “Well?” he said, demanding an answer as he crossed his arms, shaking Harry out of his stupor. 

Harry blushed, “It was nothing, Draco. You don’t need to get all worried…” He shrugged and continued, It wasn’t about you per se.” He walked over and moved to put his arms on Draco’s, but Draco moved backward in an act of petty defiance. Harry looked at him with a hurt and confused expression, and Draco decided it was probably just better to let it go. He felt himself being petty, and he decided he’d better just knock it off before he turned things bad as he’d always managed to do before, even if he still had a nagging sense of distrust. 

Harry tried again, and Draco let him. He leaned his head forward, sighed, and closed his eyes, and he felt as Harry placed a small kiss to his forehead before resting his against Draco’s. 

“Seriously, Draco. I just had a question about something that I’m unfamiliar with, and I figured she would know the answer. It’s really nothing. I promise you can trust me.” Harry said as they embraced each other. 

Draco still didn’t have a clue what Harry was referring to, but he sighed and gave into his touch a little more. “I'm sorry… I know, Harry. Trusting people doesn't come easily to me, but I'm working on it.”

Harry pulled back, and they looked at each other for a moment before Draco leaned down and gave the boy a tender kiss that mended the tension between them. “Now, get yourself ready so we can go to Hogsmeade,” he said smiling as he gave Harry a small push toward his wardrobe. 

“Don’t tell me what to do, Malfoy,” he said but gave Draco a smile when he looked back. Draco chuckled and sat back down on the sofa to wait for Harry to be ready. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The walk to Hogsmeade seemed longer to Draco that it ever had before. This was probably because of the Weasel's-- no--- He couldn’t keep calling him Weasel. It was probably because Weasley’s eyes were glaring at him the whole time. However, he managed to make it seem as if it hadn’t bothered him. 

He let Harry walk beside his friends and he took up space on the end. Granger kept trying to pull him into conversations, but he really just wasn’t in the mood for forced bonding at the moment. He’d been having a terrible time trying to figure out the perfect gift for Harry because he wanted to surprise the boy with something special that wasn’t presumptuous in any way. The safest bet would have been a new broom for Quidditch, but Draco wasn’t sure he wanted to go that route seeing as their situation kept Harry from playing this year, and he didn’t want to hit a sore spot with Harry about it. Another option was something Harry could place in his home, but Draco realised then that he hadn’t the faintest idea where Harry would stay when he wasn’t at Hogwarts. He thought surely he didn’t stay with the Weasels all of the time, but he couldn’t be sure. So maybe that wasn’t the best route to go either. 

He looked over at the boy who was laughing and having a good time with his friends. He was dressed in unspectacular clothing, yet he looked spectacular all the same. His hair was messy, his jeans were well-worn, and there were several scuffs in his shoes, but Draco found that he preferred him that way. He found that Harry’s imperfections were what made him so unique and completely opposite to Draco that he was all-together appealing and attractive... And then it struck him. Harry wasn’t the type to be thrilled by the most expensive or extravagant things. Yes, he would appreciate a new broom or an expensive house furnishing, and he would accept them graciously, but there would be no meaning behind these gifts. No, Harry enjoyed simple and practical things that Draco usually found quite common, and suddenly, Draco got an idea. He smiled and shoved his hands deeper into his coat pockets, now confident he would give Harry a worthy gift. He just needed to find it.

He was shaken out of his thoughts once again by Granger’s question, “Draco, are you planning on going home over Christmas Holiday? I know Harry is worried about it, even if he isn’t saying.” 

He looked around and noticed Weasley and Harry were laughing and discussing something, so they weren’t paying any sort of attention to their conversation. “I honestly hadn’t planned on it because I didn’t want to make Harry uncomfortable.” He looked down at the ground and thought about how awkward it would be if they spent their holiday at the manor, which now housed the entirety of his mother’s depression. He wasn’t sure he’d want to go back, even if he wasn’t attached to Harry, but he felt a pang of guilt when he thought about leaving his mother alone during such a poignant time. 

Hermione sighed, and he turned to look at her with a confused expression. “What’s that look for?” He asked feeling a bit concerned. 

Her face scrunched as she was thinking through her next words carefully. “Well, just so you know, I think it would be good for both of you. I know that Harry has some things he’d like to discuss with your mother, so even if it is awkward, I’m sure he won’t protest to going.” 

“Right,” Draco said and resumed looking at the ground as they approached the town. He ignored the part about Harry having words for his mother because he hadn’t the faintest idea what they would be. Granger left his side and grabbed Weasley by the arm and dragged him off to the Honeydukes to get him some candy to appease his constantly growling stomach for the rest of the day. He and Harry were left by themselves for the time being, and Draco thought this was as good of a time as any to discuss their holiday plans.

He felt as Harry brushed up against him and he looked to smile at the boy and received a happy smile in return. “So, Harry… I was thinking about what we are going to do about the Christmas holiday, and I think--”

Harry’s eyes went wide, and he cut in quickly, “Draco, I know what you’re going to say, and I don’t agree. I think we should go to the manor. I mean, you can’t leave your mother alone on Christmas.” 

Draco laughed and nudged Harry’s arms with his affectionately since he couldn’t do more than that in public. “What I was going to say, Harry is that I think I’d like to take you to the Manor for a portion of the holiday, but you interrupted me.” 

He saw as Harry’s green eyes suddenly were surrounded by a flushed complexion. “Sorry,” he said looking down to cover his blush. 

Draco laughed. “It’s quite alright, Harry… so you’ll go?” He looked over at the boy and smirked.

“Of course, Draco.” He smiled and then drew away from him, biting his lower lip, and this spiked Draco’s curiosity again. “However, I’m not entirely sure how to act when I’m there.”

Draco relaxed again and chuckled. “Just follow my lead, Harry, and you’ll be fine,” he said stepping closer to him. 

Harry smiled, “That’s actually what I was talking to McGonagall about this morning if I’m being absolutely honest.”

Draco cocked a curious eyebrow at him. “Oh? What could she possibly know about my Manor?” 

Harry chuckled at that. “No, what I meant was that I asked her about anything a family like yours might expect of me that I would be unaware of since I didn’t grow up among you.” His voice trailed off as if he was embarrassed to admit this.

Draco stopped walking and grabbed Harry’s elbow with one hand and turned him so they were facing each other. “Harry, you know you can talk to me about that kind of thing. You don’t have to sneak around my back to figure it out.”

Harry blushed, “I was embarrassed to ask you.”

Draco laughed again. “Don’t be silly, Potter. It’s not like---”

Just then, they were interrupted by Granger’s voice calling them over to her and Weasley. “Harry, Draco! We’re going to Dervish and Bangs to look around. Are you coming?” 

They turned toward her and Harry replied, “We’ll follow you in. Go ahead, Hermione!” 

He turned back toward Draco, “Well, duty calls. I hope you haven’t forgotten your list.”

Draco tapped his head and smiled, implying that he had everything he needed stored in his mind.

Harry gave his arm a soft nudge. “Show off.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Draco let Harry look around the shop with his friends while he explored on his own. The truth of the matter was that he had no idea what to get his mother for Christmas. It’s hard shopping for a woman who has everything and is still depressed. He eventually decided on the small pensive that was on display in the window. Maybe she could hide away some of her more frightful and depressing memories in that so that some weight could be lifted off of her shoulders. He packed it away in his shopping bag to purchase later. He paid no mind to the price tag.

He thought now that the only other person he needed a gift for was Harry. He frowned a little at the thought because not so long ago, his arms would have been overtaken by shopping bags from the number of people he had to buy for. Now, there were two. But even if that was true, he was still happier at this time of his life than he had been in such a long time, so at least there was that. 

As he reached the back corner of the shop where the stacks of books were kept, he felt strong hands wrap around his waist. He spun around quickly to make sure they were alone and found that there were so many items stacked to the ceiling that there was no way anyone could have seen them unless they were invisible and standing right next to him. He relaxed into the arms and smiled at the green eyes that greeted him through circular glasses. “You gave me a fright, Harry,” he said with a chuckle. 

Harry placed a small kiss to his lips before speaking. “Sorry, I just needed to do this for a second. I’ve been going mad all morning not being able to. 

Draco laughed and pulled away from Harry “Well, you’re going to get us caught,” he said in a mock aggravated tone, yet still smiling.

Harry sighed and threw up his hands in a playful defeat. “Fine, Draco, but later you'll owe me,” he said with a smile and wink that affected Draco directly in his groin. 

He laughed again. “Yes, later, you can do with me what you will, but right now, shoo!” He said flicking his hand. “I need to get your present, and you can’t be here when I do that.”

Harry cocked an eyebrow. “You’re getting me a book?” he said confusedly. 

Draco sighed and grabbed the nearest book to him and held it up. “If you don’t get out of here now, I’ll be getting you this one.” He looked at it to read the title and continued. “How to De-gnome Your Garden: For Beginners… Yes, this will be your present.” 

Harry laughed a little too loudly and covered his mouth before walking backward and disappearing through a rack of clothing. 

Draco shook his head smiling and muttered, “Git,” in a playful tone. 

He put the book back and then decided against it. He smiled again and added it to his shopping bag. He thought it might make a good gag gift for Harry and be something they can laugh about later. 

He searched for a while longer before finding the book he was looking for. He read the gold letters that stood out on the red- leather binding, “Magical Tattoos with Purpose.” He flipped through the pages to see if the tattoo spell he wanted was in it, and smiled when he found it. “Monitum Hospes” it said, which loosely translated to “A Warning to the Host.” 

“Perfect,” he said as he placed the book carefully in his bag and walked over to the purchasing station. He stopped on his way when something caught his eye. He turned and noticed a really nice looking set of quills and stationary. He’d spotted Granger looking at them earlier and then the frown after she’d seen the price of them. She had put them away again, giving them a small pat before she left. He didn’t know what came over him, but suddenly, he found himself placing the set into his shopping bag as well. He normally wasn’t a very charitable person, but for some reason, this didn’t feel like charity. He simply just wanted to give her what she wanted, and the feeling of selflessness felt so strange and out of character to him…. But still good.

He shrugged and figured he might as well get it for her seeing as they’d been spending so much time together, even if it was forced. Surely she wouldn't look too far into it. He also made sure to throw in some Dungbombs for Weasley so that he wouldn’t get an earful from being left out. 

He looked around the shop to see if Harry and his friends were still looking about, but there was no sight of them. He didn’t feel too strong of a pull on his energy, so he knew they couldn’t be far off. They were probably just within the towering piles and stacks of merchandise the shop contained, so he purchased his items and waited on a bench that was just outside the window. 

Suddenly, Draco saw as his energy became visible around him and he stood up quickly, leaving his shopping bag on the bench. He looked around curiously, but the only thing he noticed was the worried and concerned faces of the passers-by on the street. He followed the stretched energy in the direction it traveled, completely forgetting about his purchases, but he was knocked to the ground when a sharp pain attacked his side. He’d thrown his hand over the pain and when he removed it, he saw the fresh blood that was pooled in his hand. 

He recognised this now. He did his best to stand and continue moving toward Harry, but another sharp pain took him down. People in the streets started screaming and backing away, but their curiosity kept them within viewing distance. 

Draco ignored them and tried once again to move down the alley between shops toward Harry. When he reached the back of the shop he saw as none other than Ewan Coyle had Harry in a full body bind as he was slicing into the energy. Draco fumbled around for his wand, but he was getting weaker and weaker by the second. 

Just as he’d reached his wand and removed it, he heard Granger’s voice shout out, “Expelliarmus, Stupefy!!” And then everything went black.


	21. The Complexity of a Harry Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco grow closer than ever, an unexpected visitor arrives, and relationships are on the mend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am busier than ever right now, but I wanted to stay up and push this chapter out so that you wouldn't have to wait much longer. I'm still working two jobs, and my schedule just got a lot fuller, so I may not have as much time to write anything. I hope that isn't the case, but it is more likely that it will be. I apologise in advance for that. 
> 
> Thanks again for everyone who has followed this story so diligently. I have more in store for the boys, and I'm hoping to throw in another twist in the next chapter, but we will see. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Draco drifted back into consciousness to the sound of people speaking in hushed tones around him. He tried opening his eyes, but the light in the room was too bright for him, so he snapped them shut again and groaned. 

He heard what he thought was Granger’s voice saying, “He’s awake. Shut up!” and he felt a strong hand take his immediately afterward. 

He tried opening one eye to view his surroundings and was able to open it slightly. He saw that he was in the infirmary, and Harry had been the one to grab his hand. He was holding it with both of his, pressing it against his lips as he leaned on the edge of the bed. Granger was on the other side of the bed, looking at him with a worried expression, and Weasley was standing beyond the end of the bed pretending not to be interested, but taking sideways glances at him every chance he got. Both of them exchanged a confused look when they noticed the intimate contact between the two boys, but neither commented on it. 

As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he was able to open his eyes more and more. He looked over at Harry, squeezed his hand, and tried to speak. “Harry,” he said in a croaking voice, and he had to clear his throat before he tried to continue, but Harry cut him off before he could. 

As if he read Draco’s mind, he answered his question before it was asked. “I’m fine, Draco. He only grazed me, and he is paying for that now.”

Granger picked up where he left off. “The Ministry has been sending him through rounds of questioning, trying to determine his motives, but we shouldn’t worry about that now. We need to make sure you heal up properly.”

On cue, Madame Pomfrey stepped into the room carrying a variety of different medical potions. She sat them down and rushed over to them immediately when she noticed Draco had woken up. “My dear boy, you look dreadful.” She looked over to Harry. “How long has he been awake. I told you to come and find me when he did.” She began casting spells to check his vitals.

Harry backed away, but he didn’t let go of Draco’s hand. “He’s only just woken up. It hasn’t been more than a few minutes.” 

She stopped casting spells when she saw that Draco’s vitals were in good condition. “Well, Mr. Malfoy. You nearly escaped this one, but I say we’ve patched you up nicely, and you’ll be on your way in the morning. Of course, you’ll be very sore for the next few days, but that’s expected after what you’ve been through.” She gave him a small pat on the leg and made her way back into her office. 

He looked back over to the trio and found Harry’s eyes. “How long have I been out?”

“Three days,” Harry responded glumly. 

Draco gave him a concerned look. “So you’ve been cooped up with me in here for three days?” 

Harry shook his head and squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry about me, Draco. I’ve been fine. I’ve had company, and so have you.” 

Draco scrunched up his face, feeling even more confused. “Me? Who would want to see me?” 

“I believe you new friend is referring to me, Draco.” He heard the elegant voice of his mother coming from just beyond Harry from the entryway. 

It startled him at first because he hadn’t heard the voice in so long. He tried to sit up but fell back onto the pillow when the soreness in his abdomen sent sharp pains through him at the movement. “Mother? What are you doing here?” 

She cocked a superior eyebrow at him. “Well, when your only son nearly escapes death, I think it is only appropriate that I check up on his well being.” He looked down at her waist and noticed she was resting her delicate hands on his father’s cane, and all sorts of memories came flooding back to him. He closed his eyes and it took him a few seconds to banish them from his mind again before he could say his next words. 

 

He sighed and replied. “It looks like I’ll be okay, mother. Thank you for coming.” He nodded to her, remembering his manners. 

She nodded back to him as was standard protocol, and then looked at the others. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a moment alone with my son. There are some things I’d like to discuss with him.”

“Of course, Mrs. Malfoy,” he heard Hermione say, and then she grabbed Weasley by the arm and began dragging him outside. Harry got up to leave, but Draco grabbed his arm, so he turned back.

 

He looked back up at his mother. “Harry can’t go far. We are still bonded.”

His mother remained expressionless and responded. “Yes, but it is my understanding that the bond is not as strong as it once was. Your friend can wait outside until we are through.” She looked at Harry and then toward the door, and Draco let him go so he could leave. However, Harry turned back just as he left and gave Draco an encouraging look.

When he was gone, he focused back on his mother and watched as she silently accioed a chair to sit in. Once settled, she asked her first question. “So how long have you and Potter been an item?”

The matter-of-fact bluntness and forwardness surprised Draco, and he was left gobsmacked. After a moment of shock, he remembered to close his mouth, which had been hanging open. His first instinct was to deny it. “Mother, what on earth are--”

“Draco, don’t bother with denying anything. I am your mother, and I know you better than anyone.” She looked at him fiercely. “How long?”

Draco felt the blood rush to his face, and he tried to raise himself up to buy him some time to think. “I, erm, well… a few weeks, I guess. How could you possibly have worked that out?” He looked at his duvet, afraid to make eye contact with her.

“Draco, you will look at me when I am speaking to you.” He snapped his eyes up to meet hers, and he hoped his expression was as fierce. He hated that she could make him feel like a child so easily. “That’s better,” she said, sitting up a bit straighter in her chair. “I’ve always known that you were the type to prefer the company of men, but I’d rather hoped you’d suppressed it. It wasn’t until I saw you and Potter just now that I realised you hadn’t.” He saw that she was fidgeting with the cane that was laid across her lap, which gave away her nervousness, even if her expression didn’t. “You ought to be more careful with your affections, Draco. You wouldn’t want people getting the wrong impression.”

His frustration spiked at the statement. “And what impression is that, mother?” he said agitatedly. 

His mother scoffed. “Draco, you cannot be serious. I can’t have the world knowing my only son is a homosexual. People already have enough reason to hate us, and we don’t need to go adding flames to the fire now.” Her eyes widened as if she realised she’d lost her composure, and she positioned herself so that she looked perfectly fierce once again. 

Draco laughed at the absurdity of the conversation. “Mother, do you actually believe that people are going to care that I am… whatever I am?” 

“No… No, I don’t, Draco,” she said sternly, yet she could not hide the glimmer of sadness that came with the statement. Draco gave her an incredulous look. “However, I rather think they'll scorn you more for turning their dear Potter gay.” This time, she looked down, and he knew that she was disappointed in him. 

Draco was speechless. He sat for a moment and stared at her, trying to think of something to say, but the fact of the matter was that she was right. It didn’t matter who he was, or what evidence he could provide to prove his innocence, people were still going to blame him. He thought back to the image from the Quibbler that Harry had shown him earlier. He thought now that even that wouldn’t be good enough proof for people considering its source. 

He folded his hands together in his lap and stared at them. “For once, I agree with you, mother,” he said morosely. “... but I don’t think I can give him up either.” He looked up at her with a pleading expression, like he somehow needed her permission to feel for Harry the way that he did. 

Ever so slightly, she shook her head at him. Her eyes narrowed, and she responded, “I cannot condone this, Draco. This goes against everything our family stands for.”

The comment made Draco angry. “And what does our family stand for anymore?” He glared at her. “Everything that we’ve held dear for centuries was obliterated by the war, and now there is nothing!” 

“Draco Lucius Malfoy, you will not speak to me in that tone!” Her voice hitched as if she was getting emotional, but she hid it well. Draco hadn’t noticed until then that she’d been so upset. Suddenly, he felt guilty. “Draco, I have long convinced myself that the things I noticed in you were just silly imaginations. I pretended you were more fond of that Parkinson girl than you were for the Zabini boy, but I cannot pretend anymore after what I’ve just seen, and I won't take your utter disregard for our position in society lightly. I must be certain you are confident in your choices and not following petulant whims.” Draco noticed the redness in her cheeks, and he knew she was on the brink of tears. He’d never seen his mother in such a state, and he found himself getting emotional as he witnessed it. 

“Mother, give me some credit. Don't you think I've also thought about all of this? Don't you think I've suppressed enough in my life? For the first time ever, I feel like I belong somewhere, and I'm not ready to give that up…. I just can’t see an alternative solution.” He thought for a moment of his short time with Harry, and how he’d been the happiest he’d ever been. He’d grown so fond and attached to the boy that even thinking of spending time without Harry at his side was heart-wrenching, and it physically hurt him to think of it. The mere thought about it, the more terrified Draco became, and he hoped then that he’d never see a day where the brilliantly green-eyed boy wasn’t at his side. “I-- I think I might be falling for him, mother, and I can’t really explain why.” He looked back up at her and saw that she had actual tears in her eyes that threatened to fall at any instant. 

They both remained speechless for some time, and the lump in Draco’s throat grew with each passing second. “Mother, please say something,” he pleaded. 

She brought her glistening, brown eyes up to meet his own, and he thought he saw her lip quiver, but it may have been just a trick of the light. “Draco, you’ve put me in a very difficult position.” Her breath hitched, and she brought her gloved hand up to her mouth as if she was suppressing a sob. Draco’s heart ached to see it, but he was also in a very difficult situation himself. 

She composed herself again and continued, “Draco… the unwritten laws of our society say that I must cast you out if you choose this path, but as your mother--” This time, she could not suppress her sob, and the tears that threatened to escape Draco’s eyes finally spilled over down his cheeks. 

“Mother, I--”

“As your mother,” she continued, cutting him off. “I cannot let you go… I've already lost so much.” She looked up at him again, and the tears streamed down her face. This was the first time he’d ever seen his mother cry, and definitely the first time he’d seen her as something other than the stone cold figure that had always stood fiercely behind his father. It was strange because, in this moment, she seemed more human to Draco than ever before. He wasn’t quite sure how to feel, but he sighed in relief hearing those words. Even if they had a rocky relationship, she was still his mother, and he still loved her. 

She took out a handkerchief and wiped away the wetness on her face before continuing. “So you see my position?” Draco couldn’t tell if that was a statement or a question, but it was of little consequence because what she said to him next took him completely by surprise. “I cannot have you around, yet I am unable to cast you out. So, I must leave my decision to you, Draco.” Her expression was still, but he could tell she was conflicted. “If you choose to continue down this path, I shall not disown you, but I shall also not recognise it in any public setting. You still have a place in the Manor, but we can never associate with each other in public ever again.” She tightened her grip on the cane and stared at Draco until he responded. 

This time, he let out a sob, but he didn’t care. His mother had just chosen him over society and the powers at be once again, and he didn’t know what he’d ever done to deserve a mother who cared for and loved him so unconditionally. He thought then that there really mustn’t be anything stronger than a mother’s love for her child, and he was witnessing that first hand for the second time. He reached out for her, and she stood so she could grab his hand and place a wet kiss to his forehead while setting the cane on the side of the bed and using her other hand to rest on the back of his neck. “Thank you, mother,” he whispered through the lump in his throat. 

She pulled away from him, but kept a hold of his head and looked into his eyes. “You’re my only son, Draco. I know I don’t say it often, but nothing will ever stop me from loving you, and I need you to know that.” She placed another small kiss to his forehead and then let go of him, standing up straight once again to calm herself down. She patted her face again with the handkerchief and cleared her throat. She cast a refreshing spell on her face to hide the effects of the emotions she’d just displayed and did the same for Draco.

She looked at him fiercely again as if their conversation had never happened. “Now, I do expect you home for Christmas, so don’t think you’re getting out of it simply because you’ve gotten yourself in an unorthodox situation. Bring Potter because you have to, and I will do my best to tolerate him.” She nodded to him so formally, and he smiled at her in return. He saw a glimmer of something in her eye before she turned to exit the room. 

When she’d gone with the door shut behind her, he sighed deeply in relief. Never in all his life did he imagine having a conversation such as that with his mother, and he really didn’t expect its outcome considering how forceful she’d begun it. He sunk down into the bed and closed his eyes only to snap them open again when he heard the door squeak. 

“Draco?” Harry said softly as he walked into the room.

He lifted his head and smiled at Harry, who seemed to be alone, and he received a handsome smile in return. He reached out for the boy and was satisfied when Harry rushed over to take his hand in his again. Harry leaned over the bed and kissed Draco softly, knowing that they may not have another chance to do so for a while. 

Draco smiled as Harry leaned over him. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before Harry spoke. “Your mother has formally invited me for Christmas, so I guess we're definitely going.”

Draco’ expression got serious, and he saw as Harry's did the same. “What is it, Draco?”

He cleared his throat. “She knows about us, Harry.” He thought he might as well tell him, seeing as they'd be spending time together in the near future. 

Harry leaned back and sat in the chair his mother had left by the bed. He stared at the far wall on the other side of Draco's bed, thinking about what he'd just said. Draco couldn't decipher his expression. He didn't seem angry or disappointed. No, it just seemed as if he was mulling something over in his head. After a few moments, he looked back at Draco and responded, “How did she handle it?”

Draco sighed, not knowing until that instant he'd been holding his breath. He shrugged and replied. “She's not thrilled, but she hasn't cast me out either… of course, we can't ever be seen in public again, but it's not like we have anywhere to go anymore anyway.” He looked down at his hands during that last bit. 

“I guess I sort of blew it when I grabbed onto your hand… Hermione and Ron know how too, but I'm sure it is contained there.”

Draco thought that he should have been more worried that the news of their budding relationship is starting to spread, but for some reason, he actually felt relieved. “I wish I could have seen the look on Weasley's face when he found out,” he said with a small chuckle. 

Harry smiled too, but it was only half genuine. Draco gave him a curious look, “What is it, Harry.” 

Harry sighed and leaned forward to grab Draco's hand. “It's just…. For the first time ever, I don't think I'll be able to celebrate Christmas at the Burrow.”

Draco scowled, “It’s because of me. Isn’t it?” He gripped Harry’s hand tighter. 

Harry leaned over and rested his head on the edge of Draco’s bed, and Draco removed his hand from Harry’s and ran it through his waves to offer a little comfort. In a muffled voice, Harry responded, “Well, yes and no.” He leaned back up and looked at Draco before he continued. “It’s Ron and Gin really… and their attitudes toward you.”

Draco nodded and looked back down at his hands, which were now folded in his lap. “I see.” He didn’t know what else to say since there was literally nothing he could do about the situation. However, he had an overwhelming feeling of guilt coursing through his body. It’s not like he particularly wanted to go to the Burrow and be around the Weasleys, but he also felt that he at least needed to try and be cordial for Harry’s sake. After all, they had basically adopted Harry, and it hurt him to see that Harry was hurt by this whole situation. 

Harry grabbed his hand once again before continuing, “It would be like a slap in the face to have you there so soon… they just need some time to get used to the idea of you being around before we attempt…”

Draco squeezed his hand and cut him off, “Harry, I understand completely.” He shrugged and tried to think of something to lighten the mood. With a small chuckle, he said, “Maybe by then, the bond will be broken, and you won’t have to deal with me anymore.” 

He didn’t get the reaction he’d intended. “Draco, that doesn’t make me feel any better. Of course, I want to ‘deal with you’ as you put it.” 

Draco frowned. “Sorry. Bad joke.” 

The door opened suddenly, and the boys turned to see Granger walking into the room with a fierce expression. They let go of each other and stared at her with curious expressions. “Hermione, what are you--” Harry attempted to ask, but he was interrupted by Granger’s angry voice. 

“I can’t even look at him right now,” she said in a huff as she accioed over another chair and plopped herself down in it forcefully. “He’s getting on my last nerve!”

He and Harry exchanged an amused look. “Hermione, what are you on about.” 

She sighed and stared at the back wall. “His stubbornness knows no bounds, and he is refusing to see reality.”

Harry shook his head, and Draco had to suppress his thought of ‘You’re just noticing that now?”

“Yeah, we’re going to need a little more information, Hermione,” Harry said, and Draco could see he was also suppressing something. 

She folded her arms and looked at Harry. “I mean honestly, as much time as we've spent with you two, he should have had at least an inkling that you two were…. Whatever you are,” she said it and used one hand to motion between then and then returned it to the folded position. 

Draco chuckled, unable to contain it anymore. He didn’t know why he wasn’t more disturbed that she knew their secret, and he honestly didn’t care. He was becoming more and more trusting of the wild-haired girl and actually found her company to be pleasant, even if he didn't yet consider her a friend. “Granger, don’t pretend like you knew either,” he said jokingly.

She glared at him, but there was the tiniest upward flicker to the corner of her mouth that let him know she’d at least knew he was joking with her. “Okay, so maybe I didn’t know for sure, but I suspected,” she tried to say as snootily as possible.

Harry reached out and touched her shoulder. “So, are you okay with it?” He asked in a nervous voice. 

She turned to him and her body language softened. “Harry, I cannot answer that right now.” She looked at Draco now to address him. “I know that you’ve changed a whole lot since last year, and I know that you make Harry happy, but I can’t ignore the past either. I’m trying, but it’s hard.” She gave him a look that told him she was being completely sincere. She wasn’t searching for an apology, and both of them knew that there was no apology he could make that would mend things between them. Building a genuine relationship with her was something that was going to take time. 

He nodded at her in agreeance. “I understand, Granger. It’s a lot to take in for all of us.” 

She smirked and leaned to rest her hands on his bed. “So, how are you?” Draco smiled at her first attempt to heal old wounds, and he gave into it. 

He hadn’t had a chance to think about how he was doing since he woke up, and her question brought him an awareness of his well being. His abdomen ached all over, but it wasn’t intolerable. If he stayed still, it was almost as if the pain wasn’t there. However, if he moved, sharp pains coursed through his midsection. He nodded at Granger again and replied, “It’s nothing I can’t handle.” 

She smiled, and he felt a small connection with the girl now. “I believe I need to thank you as well. If it weren’t for your timely arrival, I might not be sitting here now.”

He saw her expression brighten at her involvement getting recognition, but she made no comment. Instead, she nodded and smiled to say “You’re welcome,” and that was good enough for him. 

Then Harry chimed in. “So what are we going to do about Ron?” 

Hermione rolled her eyes and resumed her folded arms position on the chair. “He can mope around alone in the common room for all I care right now.”

“He’ll come around eventually, right?” Harry added. 

“Who knows with that stubborn arse!?” Granger added in agitation. 

Draco looked at her curiously and with a small amount of amusement. “If he truly cares for the both of you, and if he sees that this is something Harry really wants, then I’m sure he’ll come around.” He shrugged his shoulders and added, “It just may take him longer than it would for most.” 

Harry and Granger laughed at that, and Granger seemed astonished at such an understanding comment coming from him, but she did not mention anything. They spent the rest of the evening bantering friendly with one another until Madame Pomfrey forced Granger to leave so Draco could get some rest. She would’ve forced Harry too if they weren’t bonded, but she did make him take up a bed on the other side of the room to ensure there would be no chance of Draco’s sleep being disturbed. 

Of course, as soon as she left, Harry crawled into bed with Draco, and Draco felt the relief immediately and slept peacefully through the entire night. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

 

The next couple of days were slow-moving for Draco, but thankfully, he hadn’t needed to move around much since it was exam week. Harry was able to study during his time in the infirmary, but Draco forced himself to cram the next two evenings. He hoped he’d scored well on the exams he’d taken, but there was no way to be sure. Now, the only exam left was Potions, which he and Harry had together. He knew he could rest easy now that this was the only exam he had left, but he knew Harry would still be a nervous wreck over it, and that made him anxious for him. 

“Harry, you’re going to do fine. You’ve been studying for days!” He said, trying not to be annoyed by the constant grumbling from the other boy. 

Harry scoffed, “Draco, I don’t think you understand! I have to get an O. There is not another option for me, so I have every right to be anxious!” He picked up one of the many books he had sprawled all over their study table and opened it forcefully. 

Draco chuckled and grabbed his hand, resisting the other boy’s attempt to free himself. “Harry, look at me,” he said in an attempt to calm him down. Harry resisted for a moment longer, but when he realised he’d been defeated, he reluctantly looked at Draco. “That’s better,” he said smiling, and he noticed Harry as he tried to suppress his. “It’s going to be fine. You know this stuff inside out and backward by now, so I have every confidence in you. Working yourself up like this is doing you no good, and you know that.” He gave him a kiss and he felt as Harry relaxed into him and returned it. When they parted, he continued. “Now, I’m giving you one more hour of study time, and then I’m forcing you into bed.” He smiled as Harry chuckled at his statement. 

Harry scoffed amusedly, forgetting his studying for a moment, which pleased Draco. “Forcing me, are you? Well, we’ll see about that,” he said inching closer to the blond. 

Draco noticed Harry’s of this sudden state of arousal and used it to his advantage. He grabbed hold of Harry’s tie and pulled their mouths together in a deep kiss. Almost immediately, Harry opened his mouth and allowed Draco’s tongue inside. For a moment, there was a battle for dominance between the tongues, but Harry submitted to Draco’s finally and Draco pulled their bodies together. He still ached a bit from being lacerated so deeply almost a week beforehand, but there was no way he was going to stop himself from taking advantage of the boy in front of him now. 

He ran his hands up and down Harry’s body as Harry did to his and then stopped to take off the boys tie and unbutton his shirt. The maneuvers must have been taking much to long for Harry because the boy suddenly stood up and ripped off his shirt and began taking off his trousers. Draco leaned back and gained a devious smile. He was going to drive Harry mad if it was the last thing he did. 

Slowly, he started unbuttoning his shirt where Harry had left off. He made sure to take his time feeling the fabric as his hands slid down the seam. By the time he reached his last button, Harry stood there in his pants and socks, licking his lips as he watched Draco’s little tease he had going on. Draco stood, keeping sultry eye contact with the boy and watched as Harry took in everything about him. 

Draco smirked and began undoing his belt. He carefully slid the belt from its loops and draped it over his shoulder as he began working with the button and zipper. Harry’s eyes were focused on his hands as they worked, and Draco saw his arousal twitch in excitement. Draco chuckled softly, and the sound brought Harry’s dilated eyes back up to his nearly screaming at him with desire. Then Harry’s hand reached up and traveled down his stomach, underneath his pants and he started stroking his bulging erection. “Keep going,” he whispered in desperation. 

Draco looked back up to his eyes and smiled. He let his trousers fall to the floor so that he was left standing in his briefs. His arousal was obvious as well but he left it alone for the time being. With his shirt and pants still on and his trousers and shoes discarded, he walked over to Harry and pushed him into the nearest chair. Harry tried pulling him in with him, but Draco resisted. He nodded his head at Harry, and finally, Harry caught on to his act. Draco wanted to tease him more.

Harry smiled and leaned back and let his hand resume stroking his fat cock. “Gods, Draco. You’re driving me mad!” 

Draco laughed. “That’s the point, Potter…. Just relax.” He took the belt from his shoulder and straddled Harry’s lap as he sat down on it with his knees resting on the edges of the seat so that he was in a kneeling position. He placed the belt around Harry’s neck, grabbed each end of the belt on either side of Harry’s head, and used it to pull the boy into a rough kiss. Their erections were pressed together now, and Draco wouldn’t resist rolling his hips into Harry’s, and that elicited a deep moan from the dark-haired boy. “Please, Draco,” he whimpered. 

Draco let go of one side of the belt with his left hand and used his index finger to boop Harry’s nose in refusal. He dragged the belt off Harry and chucked it to the floor with his right hand. Harry’s arms were wrapped around Draco, keeping him in place, but Draco could still tease him in this position, so he ran with it. 

His already unbuttoned shirt slid down his shoulders, revealing his torso and he watched as Harry stared at him in awe. There were more scars than ever on him now, but he could tell that they didn’t bother Harry, and that made him all the more attractive to Draco in his eyes. He reached up with both hands to run them through Harry's hair and cup his cheeks for another deep kiss. Harry pulled their hips together, and Draco couldn’t stop the small moan of pleasure he got from the friction, but it was muffled inside Harry’s mouth.

Suddenly, however, the friction was not enough. He wanted to feel more of Harry, and he wanted all of him at the same time. Harry’s mouth did magical things to him, but he needed more now. He closed his eyes and arched his back as Harry began kissing down his neck and torso. He rolled his hips, desperate for more contact, and Harry responded by moaning and giving his shoulder a small nip with his teeth, which Draco found more enjoyable than he thought he would. 

Just then, he felt as the boy stood from the seat, lifting him into the air. Draco wrapped his legs around him as he was being carried over to the nearest bed. He kissed Harry the whole way there, feeling as much of the boy as he could with his hands, while Harry held onto him tightly with his. 

Taking into account his recent injuries, Harry placed him onto the bed gently on his back propped up on the pillows and then pulled off Draco’s underpants as well as his own. Draco began taking off his shirt but stopped when Harry spoke, “No, Draco. Leave it on.” Draco got a knowing look in his eyes and pulled the shirt back over himself. “Gods you're so fucking sexy!” Harry said just before he jumped into the bed and began attacking Draco’s lips again with his own. 

Draco’s desire was getting borderline painful and he didn’t think he could take it any longer. He found himself begging before he could stop himself. “Please, Harry… Please… I need to feel you... Please.” 

Harry didn’t say anything, but he gave Draco an expression that seemed to be asking if he was sure, so Draco pleaded again and nodded, “Please, Harry.”

He moaned as Harry traveled kisses down his body and used his hand to find Draco’s entrance. Draco knew well enough that he would need to be stretched before Harry entered him, but he almost wished now that they could skip that step. He heard Harry cast a quick spell, and he noticed how strange it was to feel as Harry pushed in the first lubed finger inside him, but it was pleasurable all the same. He thought then that his first time may not be so bad if all the fingers would feel like that and he pushed into Harry’s hand, causing the other boy to chuckle. “Patience, Draco. They won’t all be this nice.” 

“Prove it,” he said, desperately wanting more. 

Harry kissed him softly and placed another finger at his entrance. This time, Draco did feel the pain, and he’d wished he’d practiced on himself before letting Harry do it, but he’d told himself up until then that he wanted Harry to be the first to feel inside of him. He clenched his muscles, and Harry stayed perfectly still until he was used to the pressure. 

When Draco pushed into him again, Harry began pushing his fingers in and pulling them out again in a rhythm, and Draco was aroused all over again. 

“Are you ready for the third fin--”

“God, Harry just get it in there already, “ he said in between sharp intakes of breath. He clutched the sheets around him and anticipated the pain of the next finger, and he was not disappointed. However, this time, he expected it and was ready to take it. It wasn’t long after that Harry was bobbing in and out again. 

When he thought he was finally ready, he pulled Harry up to him, which forced him to remove his hand, and Draco kissed him roughly. “I’m ready, Harry… Please, fuck me,” he said when they parted. 

Harry smiled wide. “As you wish,” he said, getting into position. 

Draco gripped the sheets once again to prepare himself for what was to come. He heard as Harry cast the same lubrication spell as before, and he felt as the boy lined himself up. A few seconds passed and Draco didn’t feel any more, so he lifted his head and looked at Harry who seemed to be a bit nervous. “Are you okay, Harry?” he said concernedly. 

Harry shook himself out of it and responded. “Yes, sorry, Draco. I got nervous for a moment, but I’m fine.”

“Good,” he said, plopping his head back down on his pillow, ready to take in all of Harry. 

He felt the tip of Harry's cock as it slid slowly into his entrance, and he winced a little at the pain it caused. Harry kept pushing every so delicately into Draco, earning the boy small moans of a combination of pleasure and pain. He felt as Harry gripped his hips tightly with his hands as if he was trying his hardest not to thrust all the way in right there. 

It was Draco that forced Harry the rest of the way inside, and Harry moaned loudly at being completely engulfed. He began thrusting a few minutes later. Slowly at first, but his pace picked up when he realised that Draco was no longer in any pain. 

Because Draco had been holding his legs up for so long, they began to tire, so he grabbed onto his knees to hold them up, but the new angle he created by doing so allowed Harry to slide further inside, sending a jolt of pleasure through Draco’s body. “Fuck, Harry! Gods, don’t you dare fucking stop,” he said, getting a firmer grip on his knees. 

“I’m not going to last much longer, Draco,” he heard Harry say through his own moans. 

Draco let out a large bit of air he’d been holding in and responded, “Me either, Harry, but don’t you dare fucking stop. I’m so fucking close.” He felt as his dick bounced between their stomachs and the drips of leaking fluid that spilled from the tip. It definitely wasn’t going to be much longer for either of them, but Harry kept thrusting quicker and quicker. 

Still thrusting, Harry bent over and grabbed Draco’s lips with his own, and this sent Draco over the edge. He’d never felt so close to another person in his life, and he couldn’t describe how good it felt with Harry now. He felt as the warm liquid spilled all over his stomach and he arched his back with feeling completely and utterly euphoric. 

Harry continued thrusting, and it wasn’t until Draco snapped open his eyes again and met HArry’s that the boy came inside of him, moaning loudly and tossing his head back as he finished. 

They held that position for a moment longer as they came down from that extreme high, and then he felt as Harry collapsed on the bed beside him pulling his incredible cock out of Draco. The both laid there, catching their breath for a moment, before looking at each other and sharing a smile. Harry moved to kiss Draco’s forehead, and Draco let him as he closed his eyes, still smiling. 

“That was bloody brilliant,” he said in between breaths. 

“Yeah,” Harry said in return, and they pulled themselves closer together and just held each other as they laid.

“Next time, I want to feel you,” Harry said before planting another soft kiss on Draco’s lips. They pressed their foreheads together and closed their eyes. Before either one of them realised, they were both asleep comfortably laying in each other’s embrace, and for a moment, everything was perfect.


	22. Serum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once again, trouble finds our lovely pair, and they are dragged off to the Ministry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so incredibly sorry for my delay. This isn't a long chapter, but I felt like I'd kept you waiting long enough. I still work two jobs, but I'll have much more free time by the end of this month.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!
> 
> Special thanks to BeaInspired and FanFic_Addict1993 and everyone else who leaves me feedback/ just enjoys this story. You're kudos and comments are amazing. Thank you!

Draco woke the next morning to something tickling his nose. He opened his eyes and noticed that Harry was snuggled up against him, and his wavy hair was sprawled out in every direction. He smiled and reached up with the hand that wasn’t trapped under Harry’s warm body and tucked the stray wave gently behind Harry’s ear. He then placed a light kiss to Harry’s forehead just next to his never-fading scar, which caused the boy to stir but not wake. 

He thought for a moment about the last month or so and couldn’t actually believe it was real. How could this all be happening? Had he slipped into some alternate universe where everything was flipped upside down? It was all so strange… but looking at Harry lying peacefully in his arms made him never want to return to the world he’d come from. He knew the bond between them was weakening with each passing day and that there was nothing he could do about it, but it made him worry about the future. What would become of their relationship once the bond was broken? Harry had expressed his concern about not being welcome at the Weasley's in his current state, and he doubted the red-headed family would ever change their minds or attitudes toward him. He also doubted that his own mother would take kindly to having Harry around if it wasn’t a necessary action, and even Granger expressed her hesitation to accept Draco being around… Suddenly, a flash of a dreadful memory came flooding into his consciousness, and he saw Granger laying on the floor of the Manor and his aunt with her wand drawn. He closed his eyes tightly and banished the memory from the forefront of his mind. He wasn’t ready to face the memory just yet, but having it there for the short second helped him understand more of why Granger would be so hesitant to accept him...He doubted if he would ever be able to change these things, and it worried him greatly. 

Harry shifted beside him and snuggled even closer. The night before had been utterly wonderful, and he hoped against all odds that he’d never have to give that up… Yet, he couldn’t see how things would ever work between them seeing as things are what they are. At least they were together presently, and at least he could enjoy it while it lasted. That was what he decided to focus on, and he pushed all the other thoughts to the side for the time being. 

He was shaken from his thoughts when he heard a harsh knock on his door. Gently, he pushed Harry off of himself and got up to answer it. The boy groaned at the loss of contact and then rolled over to face the other direction. 

Just as he was nearing the door, it flung open, and Professor McGonagall came storming in. Draco’s first reaction was to get annoyed and voice it, but he stopped himself when he saw the look on her face. He gave her a curious expression and then looked back at Harry who was suddenly wide awake and grabbing for his glasses on the side table. 

The boys both jumped and someone else came bursting in through their door, but McGonagall spoke before anyone else could, “Gentleman, I wouldn’t have intruded, but it seems that there is an urgent matter that cannot wait for even a second longer.” She wrung her hands together nervously. Before she could continue, several men and women burst into the room after her, and Draco recognised many of them as Ministry officials. 

He felt Harry walk up beside him. They stood there untouching and clothed only from the waist down. He hadn’t remembered putting on his pajama bottoms, but he was grateful now that he had. 

“What is the meaning of all of this, Professor? Why is the Ministry here?” Harry said as he was tying up his trouser strings.

Suddenly, a great figure appeared in the doorway and spoke, “I’d prefer to answer that, Minerva. If you don’t mind?” It was Kingsley Shaklebolt. He looked over to Harry with familiarity, and Harry gave him a knowing look in return. It was as if they were glad to see each other, but didn’t want to greet each other normally in the current mood. 

McGonagall gave him a protesting glare but allowed him to do so. She stepped back and allowed Shaklebolt to stand in front of them as he addressed them. “Boys, I’m sure that our presence here has warned you of something pertinently important, so I won’t bother with trying to break it to you easily. That being said…” he folded his hands in front of himself and looked to the floor, “the news I’m about to give you is not easy to give in the slightest.” He sighed and looked back up at both of them.

He didn’t have to look over to know that Harry had crossed his arms awaiting the apparently dreadful news they were about to hear. He folded his arms as well, not knowing what else to do with his hands. They’d already been through so much in their short lives, so he couldn’t possibly imagine that the news they were about to hear was worse than the wars they'd already fought. 

“Just get on with it, Kingsley. We can handle whatever it is you’re about to tell us… neither one of us are strangers to bad news.” He felt Harry’s arm brush against his, and it sent a small shiver down his naked spine.

“Which is why we tried to spare you of this news until you absolutely needed to know.” They shared another look that Draco couldn’t decipher, and then Shaklebolt continued. “Ewan Coyle has escaped Ministry custody along with Alexander Gregson…” There was a pause in his speech and he looked down once again as if he were carefully planning his next words. 

He felt Harry tense beside him, “Wait, I didn’t think Gregson was being held in the Ministry. He wasn’t responsible for what Coyle did…”

Shacklebot raised his hand at them, cutting Harry off. McGonagall let out a worried sound and sat down on the sofa in what Draco assumed was an attempt to calm herself. 

“Please, let me finish,” he said, gaining a solemn tone. “We’ve known for several months now that Voldemort had a cult following even after his defeat, but we couldn’t be certain as to who was in the following. We’ve been in the process of interrogating and investigating, but we haven’t yet discovered everyone.” He sighed deeply and walked over to lean against the windowsill as he looked out at the rising sun. 

Before he could continue, Harry jumped in again, voicing what Draco had also been thinking. “So Coyle and Gregson were after me the whole time? They were trying to kill me?” he pointed to himself subconsciously and walked toward Shaklebolt who was now turned toward them, giving them a concerned look. “They had me in their grasp several times… They could’ve finished me off whenever they wanted, but they didn’t. How can you be certain that’s what their goal was?” 

He hated how worked up Harry was getting, and before he could stop himself, he reached out and grabbed the boy’s hand as he was slowly stepping toward the tall, somber Minister. Harry stopped, breathed, squeezed his hand a little and then they let go. The touch hadn’t gone unnoticed by the others in the room, but Draco was thankful that none of them commented on it. He realised then that he hadn’t actually spoken since they’d entered the room, so he picked up where Harry left off, “I can understand Coyle, but Gregson is a part of all of this nonsense as well?... The man is nothing more than a mouse in human flesh. Furthermore, it was me that Coyle almost killed last time, not Harry. None of this makes any sense.”

Shaklebbolt’s new expression was one of annoyance and frustration. Draco could tell the man was not particularly fond of him, but he found that he didn’t care. “Young Malfoy, with your family history as it is, “he gave Draco a disdained look over before he continued, “We believe that these men were instructed not to harm you. We believe it was their intention to separate your bond as quickly as possible and then carry out the act on Harry. They didn’t want risk the bond killing you as well, considering you are an obtainer of the Dark Lord’s mark.”   
Instinctively, Draco uncrossed his arm and grabbed his forearm where the dark mark still lay on his pale skin. He began tracing the lines with his thumb but kept his eyes glued on the Minister. There was an accusation hidden in his expression, and then Draco understood the real reason to his obvious disdain. “Wait a minute…” he said putting together the puzzle pieces. “You think I’ve got something to do with this, don’t you?” He crossed his arms again and stepped toward the great man. 

Shaklebolt straightened his posture and cocked an eyebrow, “Mr. Malfoy…”

The rest of his accusatory statement was cut off by Harry who had been utterly taken aback by the statement. “Hang on, there is just no bloody way that Draco has got anything to do with this. We were all there for his trial, and you’ve used veritaserum.” Harry had stepped slightly in front of Draco so that he had become a sort of shield between himself and Shacklebolt. Draco would have smiled at the unconscious gesture if the circumstances were different. 

Shaklebolt threw his hands up in a defensive gesture and spoke to Harry directly, “Harry, you must understand that we are just covering our bases here.” He turned to look at Draco, and his defensive expression and posture were immediately replaced with an authoritative one. “Mr. Malfoy, I must demand that you come in for another round of questioning.” He didn’t allow Draco to speak. He retrieved a piece of parchment from his pocket and handed it to Draco. “This is your official summons, but we will taking you with us immediately.” 

Draco didn’t dignify the man with a response. He grabbed the summons, crumpled it up, and tossed it toward the nearest bin without looking to see if he’d made it in. 

Shaklebolt straightened his elegant, purple robes and made his final statement. “As soon as you are dressed, Fields and Carleson will escort you to the Ministry for your interrogation.” He looked them both up and down again before turning to leave. 

McGonagall came forward when they were alone again. She placed her hands on both of their shoulders reassuringly. “Boys, I have done my best to keep them at bay, but the simple truth is that this is a very suspicious situation.” She looked at Draco directly. 

He hoped he kept his expression unreadable, but he was quite worried about what might become of him from all of this. “Professor, this is absurd! If the Ministry only knew…” He stopped himself from letting loose the nature of their relationship and looked at Harry. To his surprise, Harry gave him a nod as if he was giving Draco permission to do just that. However, he couldn’t be sure, so he left it. Instead, he squeezed his arms harder against his chest since they were still crossed, and he bit his lip, electing to look out the window instead of into her now curious expression.

Harry picked up where he left off. “If the Ministry only knew Draco the way that we’ve come to know him, they’d never have accused him of this.” His tone was one of irritation, which matched Draco’s mood as well. 

McGonagall sighed. “You’re absolutely right, Potter. However, the Ministry is only doing this to make sure you are safe.” She gave him an apologetic look before continuing. “Draco, you’ve grown up and changed immensely since you’ve been here, and no one who’s been here with you can deny that.” She gave his shoulder a small squeeze. “Now you just have to prove yourself once again to the Ministry.” He looked up at her but didn’t say anything, so she continued. “Just think of it as an inconvenience for the time being, and then you can come back here where you’ll both be safe.” 

Draco’s head perked back up at the statement. “Here? We were meant to head to the Manor after exams.” He irritation was only growing. Even though spending an awkward Holiday at his mansion seemed daunting, the prospect of new scenery was appealing in itself. He’d not realised it until then, but he’d been looking forward to getting out of the castle for a bit. 

McGonagall let them go and crossed her hands at her waist. “I’m sorry boys. But with the situation as it is, you’re safer here at Hogwarts than you are anywhere else, so I really must insist… We’ll meet you both at the main entrance when you’re ready.” 

Technically, he was of the age where he could decide to go against her, but he knew well enough that she was right. Also, it wouldn’t look good on his part to have Harry at the Manor when he’d been suspected of crimes against him, so he accepted it as it was. “Fine…”

McGonagall nodded but didn’t say more. She turned to exit the room, giving them one last apologetic glance before she shut the door behind her. 

Draco stared at the door for a moment just trying to take in everything he’d just learned. He felt a soft hand touch his arm, and out of instinct, he brushed it off and turned away. He heard Harry’s sharp intake of breath as if the rejection had taken him aback, and Draco immediately regretted his gesture, He turned around and unfolded his arms to reach out to gently grab Harry’s in a silent apology. Harry relaxed into his touch, and he knew he’d been forgiven.

Harry stepped forward and rested his hands on Draco’s hips while leaning his head down to rest his forehead on Draco’s shoulder. Draco placed a soft kiss somewhere in the mess of Harry’s waves and moved his arms up so he could link his fingers together behind Harry’s neck. They stood there for a while, unmoving and not speaking. They didn’t need to speak to know how the other was feeling, and they knew nothing needed to be said…. Nothing that they would say then would have helped their situation in any way, so the just stood there embracing each other, knowing that for what seemed like the hundredth time, their lives were being threatened.

After a few more moments of embracing, Draco kissed Harry’s head once more and started pulling away to get himself ready for whatever awaited him, but he was stopped by strong hands. Harry reached up and pulled him into a kiss that could have cured the worst of depression. A kiss that said, “Don’t worry. I’m here for you.” And “You don’t have to go through this alone again.” He tried to kiss back with the same intensity, but instead, a small sob escaped his mouth when he’d gone to catch his breath. He hadn’t realized he’d gotten so worked up, but when they parted, he felt a single tear roll down his cheek.

Harry brushed it away with this thumb, gave him one more peck on the lips, and ran his hand through Draco’s soft, blond hair. “We’d better get going, Draco. We don’t want them coming back up to check on us.”

Draco closed his eyes and nodded. He sighed deeply, and then turned toward his wardrobe, letting Harry do the same.

 

Draco hated walking into the Ministry. Not only did every part of it bring up dreadful memories, he really hated the staring. Whenever he walked into a room, all eyes seemed to focus on him and people seemed to forget what they were doing just to stare or sneer at him. Honestly, every time he walked into a public setting, he’d lose a little more faith in the wizarding community. But that’s exactly what they were doing as he and Harry were being led through the Ministry by the two officials that had been in their room earlier that morning. He couldn’t remember their names.

Suddenly, he heard Harry’s voice speak as if out of the corner of his mouth. “Draco, stop grinding your teeth. You’ll have none left if you keep it up at this rate.”

He hadn’t realized that’s what he’d been doing. It was an old habit he’d developed as a child and he’d do it when he was feeling particularly stressed. He thought he’d broken the habit, but that appeared now to not be the case. “Sorry, Harry. I just can’t handle all of these people staring at me and judging me.”

He heard the boy chuckle a bit next to him, and it made him angry. “Harry, it’s not a laughing matter. They---“

Harry cut him off with a smile. Draco, they’re not judging you… well- not in that way. Honestly, it should be me who is angry here.”

“What the bloody hell does that mean,” he said a bit too loudly, earning him curious glances from one of the officials leading them.

Harry gave him a bright-eyed look that made Draco forget about the daunting situation they were in. “It means you’re gorgeous,” he said with a wink and not trying to be too loud.

Draco felt the blood rush to his cheeks, and he heard Harry’s soft chuckle that followed. Of course, he was wrong or just trying to make him feel better, but the compliment was appreciated all the same. “You’re a nutter. You know that, right?” He said, trying not to smile. For some reason, Harry was the only person who seemed to be able to take his worries away… to calm him in any given situation… to make him feel human and that he wasn’t worthless.

However, that daunting feeling came back when the woman stopped in front of a door and informed them that they’d arrived. Draco sighed and followed them into the room. Harry went to follow, but the male official stopped him with his hand on Harry’s chest.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Potter, but this hearing is just for Mr. Malfoy. I cannot allow you inside the room. You’ll have to wait out here with me” the man grumbled snootily.

Harry’s eyebrows furrowed, “Since when are hearings not accessible to the public? As a member of the public, I have a right to be in there.” 

Not being able to argue with that logic, the man lowered his hand and stepped aside, allowing Harry to pass. However, his face had gone an awful shade of red as if he was embarrassed about not knowing the law or angry that Harry did. Draco was just glad that Harry was going to be in there with him so he didn’t have to face this new round of questioning alone. 

To his surprise, though, he saw his mother sitting in one of the chairs next to to the defendant’s table. She looked back at him with a solemn look and nodded her head. For a moment he was glad to see her, but then he remembered what she had said in the infirmary. Hadn’t she warned him she could never associate with him in public again? Was this her changing her mind? … No, of course not. The news about Harry and his relationship hadn’t reached the masses yet, so maybe she still felt it safe and necessary to be here. All for public image, of course. Either way, he was still glad to see her there supporting him. 

He felt something graze the back of his hand, and he was shaken from his thoughts. He looked over and saw that Harry had given him the soft touch, just long enough to let him know that he was there for him. Then the dark headed boy took one of the seats in the nearest section to where he would be sitting. He watched the boy without moving for a moment, and then the official rudely pushed him to get him going. “Alright, mate! A simple command would have been enough. No need to shove.” He straightened his perfectly fitted jumper, or at least it was perfectly fitted before Harry had shrunken his clothes, and he carefully made his way to the stand. He felt every eye in the room gazing upon him as he did so. 

Draco was not surprised to find that he’d been asked nearly all of the same questions he’d been asked in his trial after the war. After all, they were treating this more like a trial rather than the hearing it was supposed to be. Or at least, that’s what it felt like to Draco. 

He told them over and over again of all of his involvement in the war and continually asked why this information was pertinent in this case. The officials didn’t like his tone and used the relationship of the cases as an excuse as to why the questions were necessary. Draco rolled his eyes and hoped he appeared bored with the questions. Thankfully, Harry had been there to give him reassuring glances. It wasn’t much, but it did help to keep him calm. 

After an hour or so of the Ministry not getting the information they wanted to get from him, they threatened veritaserum, and Draco volunteered himself for it, knowing full well they would eventually force him. This way, at least it gave him sort of the upper hand on the matter, even though it was a lose-lose situation. However, the mere thought of losing all control to the serum twisted Draco’s insides around, and he became nauseated. However, one wouldn’t have realised that he felt this way looking at his stone cold expression. He looked over at Harry who was unconsciously biting his nails in a state of worry. He stopped when he locked eyes with Draco, and there was a question in his expression. Draco didn’t have to wonder what the question was. He’d grown so familiar with the boy that he could read it on his face. Harry was silently asking permission to remain in the room once he’d taken the serum. 

There was a time in his life when he’d never want any of his deep, dark secrets revealed to the boy, but now he felt like he needed Harry to know his full story. He needed him to know so that he could see Draco for who he truly was, and so that everything was ‘out on the table’ so to speak. If Harry decided to still give him the time of day afterward, then well… then Draco would know just how deeply their fondness for each other had grown. 

He nodded back at Harry, giving him the permission he was seeking. He closed his eyes and hoped against all odds that Harry would be able to handle everything he was about to witness. He sighed deeply and only opened his eyes when he was able to fully replace his worried expression with his ‘mask’ once again. 

He saw at once that a man was carrying the serum towards him now, and he prepared himself mentally for whatever lay ahead.


	23. Unscripted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco confesses more than he needs to in order to prove himself to the Ministry once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh. My. Goodness. 
> 
> Finally, I'm back! I know it's been a while, but thank you so much for sticking with me!
> 
> Shout out to The.infamous.sad.egg and Maayam! Thank you for linking and commenting! I'm super glad you are enjoying the story so far! Hopefully, I don't let you down. 
> 
> I just need to mention FanFic_Addict1993, BeaInspired, and forgottenwebkinz once again because your comments are amazing... You are all amazing. Thank you for supporting me so much. Honestly, you keep me going! I hope you like this chapter. I'll try getting another one out soon :)

Draco remained expressionless as the man with the serum forced it into his mouth. He swallowed and glared at the man, instantly feeling its effects. He tightened his grip on his chair, looked at Harry one last time to help calm himself, and then he glared at the men and women sitting in the stands that would be questioning for how long, no one could guess. 

A short, plump man spoke up first in a deep voice that did not match his stature. “Mr. Malfoy, you are a recipient of the Dark Mark. are you not?” 

Draco rolled his eyes, unsnapped the cuff of his sleeve and gave the panel a visual answer. The sounds of movement stopped as people took a second to view the mark. The man continued. His voice was a slightly higher pitch this time though, letting Draco know the sight of his mark made the man uncomfortable. He smirked and couldn’t help his curt reply, “It’s nothing more than a tattoo now. Don’t get your knickers in a twist.” 

The man frowned but did not give in. Instead, he sat back and asked his second question. “Mr. Malfoy, are you aware that there is still a cult following of V-- Vol…. He Who Must Not Be Named, and that that mark you so proudly display here today has become their symbol just as it was the symbol of the Dark Lord.” 

Draco leaned back, realising that this ‘hearing’ would not end anytime soon. However, he did not pull his sleeve back down to cover the mark. He was enjoying the discomfort of the panel. Before answering the question, he scanned over each of the panel members’ faces to get a good look at the people who still believed him evil. 

“Mr. Malfoy, we need an answer,” said another man with a gravelly texture to his voice. 

Draco glared at him and answered without taking his eyes off of him. “I had my suspicions, but I was not aware of how large it might still be until recently.” The man leaned back and folded his arms, and Draco could tell that that was not the answer he wanted to hear. This gave Draco a hint of satisfaction. 

The next questioner stood up to ask her question, and Draco directed his gaze toward her. She was very small and probably couldn’t reach half his height in high heels. She wore a suit in the most ridiculous shade of blue that was too bright for such a dull room. She definitely stood out in the crowd of Ministry officials sitting with her on the panel. She had to stand just so Draco would be able to see her in the crowd, even with the outrageous suit on. She may have been small, but her persona was the complete opposite. She spoke strongly and with conviction that Draco couldn’t help but admire. “Mr. Malfoy, your involvement in the war is not the reason you are here today, but I have to wonder where your loyalties are?”

Draco sighed deeply, realising that this really was going to be his trial all over again. “As I said during my trial, my familial obligations forced me to take the mark. I was young and did not believe I would survive if I did not heed them. My loyalty was always to my family and myself, not Voldemort.” The sound of the name caused many on the panel to flinch and gasp. Draco couldn’t help but be amused, and he hoped he was able to conceal his smirk from them. However, his expression became serious once he’d noticed that the tiny woman had not even blinked at the sound of the name. He straightened up and looked at her fiercely.

She gave him a condescending look over and asked her next question, “Yes, that is very similar to the answer you gave during your trial. However, some time has passed since then, and I have to wonder where your loyalties are now?” She cocked an eyebrow at him as if she pulled one over on him. 

He mimicked her expression and answered. He meant to say that he remained loyal to himself, but that is not the answer that came out of his mouth. The answer that came was followed by a deep flush of embarrassment.

“You shall wonder no longer. My loyalty remains entirely with Harry.” 

He sunk down in his seat, hoping the ledge in front of him would help cover the redness in his face that betrayed him. The tiny woman was obviously surprised by this answer, and it was even more obvious that she was intrigued. “I see…” She crossed her arms and turned to face her colleagues, who all looked upon her intently. Draco sat up again so he could watch what was about to happen. The woman began pacing in the space in front of their chairs as she raised one, delicate hand to her chin as if contemplating something. “You see, ladies and gentlemen, the cleverness of this man is deceiving.” She paused, and this gave Draco some time to think about her angle. He sat up straighter now as he realised she was about to twist his words. “He has just told you his loyalties remain with Harry, but this is deceiving because it could mean a multitude of things.” She whipped her hand in the air and gave a slight shoulder shrug before continuing. “It could mean that he is loyal to Harry’s wishes and ideals…. Or… it could mean that his loyalties simply just ‘involve’ Harry.”

Draco stood up at this, ready to object, but the official standing next to him grabbed his shoulder and shoved him back into the chair, keeping him from speaking. He glared menacingly at the official and then turned back around as the small woman spoke again, looking directly at him this time. He fierce blue eyes bore into his, and he didn’t dare look away. He regained his composure and re-crossed his arms. 

“I imagine any answer we hear from him will be as carefully crafted as this one seems to be. We must be careful to observe this as we proceed. It seems the serum remains ineffective when the drinker can outwit the questions he is asked. I'd be impressed if this were a more cheery situation.” She turned her body swiftly back to the direction of her seat, walked towards it, and sat down all while not breaking eye-contact with him. 

He gave her what could only be described as a snarl, and clenched his fists together, knowing that whatever he said going forward would not hold much weight after this absurd speech. Suddenly, he understood Harry’s hatred for Umbridge. He looked over to the boy who seemed to be just as agitated as he was because he was also glaring at the woman in blue. His mother, on the other hand, was sitting calmly, staring directly in front of her. There was a lightness in her eyes that did not match the current mood of the room or his situation. His gaze piqued Draco’s curiosity, and he moved to look where she was staring. On the wall in the back of the room, there was the Hogwarts motto etched into the stone border. “‘Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus’ or ‘Never tickle a sleeping dragon.’ When he looked back to her curiously, she was staring at him with a small smirk. Suddenly, he understood the brightness, and he smirked back. 

When he was little, he and his mother often joked about the saying because of his namesake. They’d always believed that tickling a dragon in any situation would only end up bad for the person doing the tickling, and that was definitely true for him. Suddenly, he was even more grateful for his mother’s presence because only she would be capable of giving him the confidence he needed to proceed with this situation without ever having to say a word. He looked back at the panel with a new attitude and awaited their next move. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

What felt like hours had passed with the panel asking all of the same questions they’d asked him during his trial only to be disappointed once again when they learned his answers were the same. If they were going to make a new move, then they sure were taking their sweet time getting there. The woman in blue had kept her mouth shut since her earlier speech, but Draco also noticed that she seemed to be furiously taking notes as the other panel members questioned him. He wondered what sort of ammunition she was building up against him. 

He’d been sitting for so long that he was becoming very uncomfortable in the wooden seat, and he couldn’t help the fidgeting that came because of it. He looked over to his mother and Harry occasionally and noticed that at some point, Harry had been joined by Granger and Weasely (Obviously, the latter one was not thrilled to be there, and was likely only there to support Harry.) His mother’s stone expression was still comforting for him, but the concerned look on Harry’s face wasn’t doing him any favors. Suddenly, he wished Harry would have saved himself the torment and remained outside the room. He tried to give him a reassuring look to prove he was fine, but it did not seem to have any effect. 

When Draco directed his attention back to the panel, he noticed a different questioner standing. The man was dressed in green robes that looked a little too snug for his rather plump form, and Draco almost couldn’t help smiling at the fact that the man was using his round belly as an armrest. In fact, the thought amused him so much that he’d completely ignored the question the man had asked and he had to ask him to repeat it. 

The man glared at him, but repeated it anyway, “I said, Mr. Malfoy, how is it that you found yourself bonded to Mr. Potter in the first place?” 

Draco had to cover up the laugh that escaped him by pretending to cough. Could it be that they were just now getting to this point after all the time they’d already spent in there? He knew it hadn’t actually been hours, but they’d been in there a long ass time, and they were only just getting to the pertinent questions. 

After he collected himself, he responded, “Finally, a question related to the reason we are all here.” He clapped his hands together and sat up straight before answering. “A clumsy bloke in our potions class toppled over our binding potion onto us just as the binding spell was being cast onto it. The next thing we knew, we were glowing bright purple, and we couldn’t seem to get too far apart from each other without being chucked through the air and landing in a mess on the ground.” He scanned the confused looks of the panel and awaited the next question. 

The questioner cleared his throat and continued, “I see… Mr. Malfoy, if you and Potter were known enemies at the time, why on earth were you partnered for this project? Could it have been your plan all along?”

Draco scoffed, “Sir, don’t you think that is a bit of a stretch? I mean, how could I possibly have predicted the clumsiness of another student?”

“I’m afraid that’s not an answer, Mr. Malfoy,” said the woman in blue. Draco looked at her and nodded in agreeance. 

“You’re absolutely correct, Madame,” he said in the most condescending tone he could muster up. “The answer is that my only plan for the year was to pass my courses and pass my NEWTS. If Harry and I hadn’t skipped the class beforehand, we would not have been paired up and neither one of us would have been put in this situation. So, no. I didn’t plan for this to happen. I didn’t want this to happen, but I bloody well don’t regret that it happened!” 

Shit… that last bit is bound to get him into trouble, but there was no taking it back once it was said. He tried to keep his expression unreadable, but the woman in blue’s mouth turned upward in a slight smile. He knew then that he’d just given her the information he needed to complete her arsenal, and he prepared himself mentally for her next question. 

She began pacing again, and the man in green took his seat once more. He looked directly in her eyes to avoid looking weak as she proceeded, “It’s interesting that you say that, Mr. Malfoy. It’s not often, and some would say it would never happen, that a person wouldn’t regret being attached to their known enemies.” She stopped walking and turned her body to face him directly. “Mr. Malfoy, have you ever heard the phrase, ‘Keep your friends close but your enemies closer?” She cocked an eyebrow at him and awaited his reply. 

Draco rolled his eyes. He’d definitely overestimated this woman because this angle she was taking was weaker that Weasley’s wand after his hilarious encounter with the Whomping Willow. “Of course, I’ve heard the saying. It’s rather common.” He paused for a moment to give her the false impression that she had the upper hand on him, but as she began to speak again, he cut her off. “But that would imply that Harry and I are enemies, and that is something that we are most certainly not… anymore.” He glared at her and tried so desperately hard not to glance over at Harry to see his reaction. 

She smirked at him again in a way that Draco couldn’t interpret and continued pacing while moving on to her next question. “So, you are no longer enemies. That much must be true, but I have to wonder when it was that the nature of your relationship changed so drastically?…. And for that matter, I have to wonder what sort of relationship you boys have now? You see, if you were still at odds before the binding, then this still could very well be part of a scheme you created to keep your enemy close.” She leaned over on the railing and stared him down.

Draco did NOT want to respond to that and fought the serum for a moment when trying to think of a response that would address the issue without giving everything away. However, that seemed like an impossible task. 

“Mr. Malfoy, I need a response from you.” Suddenly she looked away from him and to the man with the serum standing beside him. “Hendricks, I believe the first round of serum is wearing off. Give him another dose.” She stood back up, crossed her arms, and motioned to Draco with her eyes. 

Hendricks moved to grab Draco’s face and force feed the serum to him, but Draco held him off. “Easy, there! I’m quite capable of administering this to myself.” He moved to grab the vial from the man, but it was jerked away from his reach. “What are you playing at?” He gave Hendricks a cross look and was immediately greeted with an equally cross look from the other man. 

“Not this time, Malfoy. This dose will be administered by myself just so there isn’t any question as to whether or not you’ve actually taken it.” He popped the cork from the vial before speaking again and giving Draco a creepy smile. “Open wide.”

Draco scowled and reluctantly opened his mouth as Hendricks placed a few drops onto his tongue. Draco felt the reinvigorated effects immediately, and the need to respond to the accusatory questions was becoming overwhelming. But he wasn’t about to give the woman in blue the satisfaction of watching him struggle. Since he was being forced to say it anyway, he figured he might as well speak his words directly to the person they were about. Harry deserved at least that much after all of this, and he definitely didn’t deserve to hear it secondhand.

Draco shifted in his seat so that he could face the increasingly concerned Harry as he watched from the stands. Suddenly, the lump in his throat made a grand reappearance as it had done so often when he got emotional, but somehow, he was getting used to it. He swallowed before he began and tried to keep his expression calm and collected as he spoke to Harry. “Actually, I don’t think Harry and I were ever really enemies… at least not in my eyes… At most, we were rivals who found each other irritating, but there was never a moment when either one of us purposely wished or caused the other great harm... unless you count a broken nose.” He gave Harry an apologetic look when he remembered what he’d done to him on the train car. 

He continued before the woman could speak again, “Of course, there are things that have happened concerning both of us that neither one of us can ever change, and that both of us will regret for the rest of our lives, especially on my part… I mean, I did take the Dark Mark, and I was forced to do things for Voldemort that I would never have elected to do on my own. But even in my situation, I couldn’t bring myself to wish him, or anyone else for that matter, any sort of harm.” All of the dreadful memories he’d been trying to suppress came flooding back to him all at once, and the overload of information in his mind was threatening to force their way out in the form of tears. He felt them now, welling up in his eyes, but he didn’t care. Maybe it was finally time to let it all out… and get everything off of his chest.   
He sat up straighter, not breaking eye contact with the boy he was suddenly realising meant a great deal more to him that he’d originally believed. “The truth is that I am sorry for all of the things I’ve done, and I am punished with my guilty conscience every, single, fucking day of my life…” He turned his attention to Granger now, because what he was about to say next involved her. “For years, I lived my life in constant fear. If I didn’t do the things my father or Voldemort commanded of me, I was tortured in ways you wouldn’t even believe… and so yes, I allowed things to happen that never should have happened. I did things I never should have done, and I hurt people or let people get hurt that should never have gotten hurt.” He felt as the first hot tear fell to his cheek, and after that, they just couldn’t seem to stop coming. It was then that his mother took her leave. He couldn’t blame her for going because he could understand how hard it might be for her to relive everything all over again just as he was about to. Still, he felt a pang inside himself as he watched her go.

With a wet face and a runny nose, he continued, still directing his gaze toward Hermione. “Hermione, I’m sorry… I’m sorry I didn’t do anything to stop her... I’m sorry you were hurt, and you have every right to hate me forever. There is no excuse...” He saw as tears started falling down her cheeks as she remembered the torture she’d endured at the Manor. She buried her face into Weasley’s chest, and Draco watched as the red-headed boy tried to comfort her. “I rack my mind all the time with the different ways I could have interjected and gotten her away from you, but the fact of the matter is that I just let it happen…. I let her hurt you… I let my fear and selfishness take control over me yet again, and for that, I’ll always be sorry.” 

When his eyes met Weasley’s, he knew he should probably say a few words to him, but even with the serum, he was having a load of trouble thinking of something to say. He could apologise for the bully he was as a kid, but he knew that wasn’t going to cut it, and it was not the reason they were in court today... so he knew he was going to have to dig deep. He settled on this: “Weasley, we’re both stubborn gits with completely opposite personalities and opinions, but I never have given you the credit you deserve. We may never like each other or see eye-to-eye, but you deserve to know that I know you aren’t daft... I know this because, without you, we might have been living in a completely different world today. Harry doesn’t blindly give his trust, and since he trusts you so much with his life, then that alone has proven my previous notions of you wrong.” Draco looked down and breathed deeply for a moment before looking back up at Harry, ready to address him again.

However, before he could continue, the bitch in blue couldn’t resist butting in. “Mr. Malfoy, this is an interesting speech, but how on earth does it relate to the questions I’ve asked you?… I believe you’re stalling.” She smiled at him like she won one over on him, and this made him angry. 

He glared at her and retorted, “Just shut the bloody hell up and listen! I have a point, and I’m getting there!” He scoffed and collected himself again before returning his gaze to Harry’s. 

“As I was saying… Harry and I never really were enemies.” He smiled as he thought back on when he’d first met the boy. “I mean, the first time I ever saw him, we were trying on school robes in a shop. I hadn’t even recognized him because his legendary scar was cover by his incredibly messy hair.” He watched as Harry gave him a curious look. “And when we got to Hogwarts on the first day, I remember seeing him with the rest of the first years on the stairwell, ready to enter the Great Hall, and all I could think about was how much I wanted to be his friend.” He shook his head at the implications he’d just made there. “I mean… Of course, I knew who he was at that point and that fact alone made his friendship a target for everyone, but that’s not what I meant. That’s not what it was for me… Harry just seemed so different from everything that I was used to seeing in the wizarding community, and I wanted to get to know him.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “But my shitty, condescending attitude and a rather awful attempt at extending a hand of friendship was gracefully rejected, and the embarrassment of it all started “rivalry” that you are all so worried about today.” He gestured toward the panel and scanned their intrigued-looking faces as they listened to him. 

“Yes, I did make it a goal to get back at him every chance I could for the rejection… but not because I hated him. No, it was because I had never been rejected before. And then, fast-forward several years to when Voldemort came back and took over my life… The time for childish games and pranks were over. I’d had fun with Umbridge’s reign over the school because her antics helped me gain popularity over Harry, which I’d so desperately craved for so long, but that’s where it ended.”

He pulled up his sleeve again to reveal his Dark Mark to the panel once more, and he heard the gasps as they took in the sight. “You see this mark!? I didn’t choose this! This was forced upon me by my father!... How the hell was I supposed to know the weight that it carried? I was 16 fucking years old when I got it! Hell, I’m only 18 in front of you today!... A kid! We’re just kids is all...” He closed his eyes and let the tears fall silently down his face for a moment before saying anything else. 

After taking a few shaky breaths in a room where no other sound could be heard, he continued. “The gravity of what I had gotten myself into did not hit me until I watched Albus Dumbledore’s lifeless body fall from the Astronomy Tower at the end of our sixth year… but I was already in over my head with no way out, and that where I stayed just so I could keep my life.” 

Thankfully, one of the Ministry Officials must’ve gotten tired of seeing his bodily fluids escaping, and she’d handed him a handkerchief to help him clean himself off. He took a moment to wipe his face and clear his nose, and then he looked back over to Harry, who was doing the same. Their eyes met again, and it gave him the strength to carry on. “To be honest, I’d have fared better if they’d just killed me… The emotional torture of living with the Dark Lord was enough to drive anyone mad, and I’m still recovering from that today. And just when I’d given up all hope of myself, and was ready to let myself fall into that madness, Harry was brought into my home along with Granger and Weasley… Seeing their faces again made me realise there was once a time when things were fine… things were good… Even if we were at each other’s throats all the time, at lest there was the promise of a future... and that gave me hope that one day everything could be good again.”

“Of course, Harry’s face was all buggered up, and he was almost unrecognisable… That’s when they called me in to identify him.” He sighed deeply but did not look away from Harry. “I knew then how I could help make things good again. I knew that if I was caught in my lie, they would kill me, but in my mind, I was already dead… Even still, defying my father was terrifying, so when they asked me to confirm Harry’s identity, I told them I didn’t know if it was him or not, even though it so obviously was, and I hoped against all odds that he would get away and figure out how to win the war… I was glad to give Potter his wand in the Final Battle because I knew he could do it… I knew he could win… and then I took the cowardly way out and fled the scene.” 

He breathed heavily for a moment and looked back up at the panel. “So you see, ladies and gentlemen… I am nothing more than a cowardly git that made many mistakes growing up. And I can never correct them. I’ll never be given the opportunity because such a thing doesn’t exist for me. I am a walking bag of guilt that will never be able to atone for my sins, no matter how much I want to and no matter how hard I try… My only hope is to keep living and hope that the people in this world will let me alone... just as I intend to do for them.” 

He looked back up at the bitch in blue, addressing her directly. “As for your questions… The reason the nature of our relationship has changed so drastically is that I never wanted to be his rival in the first place. From the first moment I saw him, I knew that I wanted him in my life, and we’ve finally gotten to a point where we can make that work, even if it is in a rather unorthodox situation. Furthermore, the current nature of our relationship is not yet determined. Although, I’d rather hope that we can keep moving in the direction we are moving, even after we are unbound.” He gave Harry a small smirk and was happy to see it being returned. He also took notice of Granger and Weasley’s presence and was surprised they were still there listening after all of the terrible memories he’d just brought back to light. 

And suddenly he felt the effects of the serum so strongly that he couldn’t fight back what came out of his mouth next:

“Besides, I think there’s always been a little part of me that’s been in love with Harry Potter, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”


	24. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the utterly emotional and eventful day, Draco needs an escape. Harry provides him with one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! 
> 
> Thanks again for leaving kudos and comments! I live for them. 
> 
> To be honest, I struggled a bit writing this chapter. Between battling a bout of writer's block and strep throat, it's been a battle. 
> 
> With that being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Make sure to let me know what you think :)

Draco’s eyes widened as he realised what he’d just admitted. He gripped onto the armrests of his chair tightly and refused to look anywhere other than straight ahead of himself to a spot just underneath the panel of interrogators. Several thoughts were racing through his mind. Had he always been infatuated with Harry Potter?... he must have because the serum makes you tell the truth, but he could hardly believe it himself. When he said ‘in love’ did that mean what it implied? Was he in love with Harry Potter now?... None of this was making any sense to him, and he nervously shifted around in his chair, trying to get comfortable.

The silence in the room was deafening for a few seconds before the entire room burst out into a jumble of murmurs. He could tell by the sounds of their voices just how shocked, confused, and even horrified they all were, but their reactions mattered little to him in that moment. 

He knew he was going to have to face Harry sometime, but he couldn’t bring himself to look over at the boy. What if he’d just ruined everything with this admission? All of the progress they’ve made… had he just obliterated all of it?... ‘Fuck it’ he thought as he turned to see the boy’s reaction.

He was surprised to see that the color in Harry’s face hadn’t drained as he’d expected. In fact, it had grown rather red, and there was the suppressed smile hidden somewhere in his expression. As Draco studied him, he found that he was also suppressing a smile, and there was a definite hotness in his cheeks. There was a silent recognition between the two boys in that moment that spoke a thousand words without them ever being uttered, but with the undeniable need to say them. For a moment, Draco forgot where he was, and that he and Harry were not alone in the room together. Everything that he was currently feeling came out as if a flood gate had been opened and all his inhibitions washed away. Suddenly, he and Harry were alone, and everyone else in the room was left ignored by Draco as he continued his speech. 

“Harry, these last months have been nothing I’d expected, and everything I’ve needed.” He straightened his posture, wanting more than ever to go over and hold the boy in his arms, but for some reason, there was a locked door in his way, so he continued from where he was while resting his hands on the obstructing piece of furniture. “I know that I don’t deserve even your friendship from the way that I’ve behaved in the past, but you’ve given it to me anyway… I know that I don’t deserve to be in your life and that I’ll likely never be accepted by your peers and family.” He clasped his hands together tightly, not knowing what else to do with them. “I know that I don’t deserve to be happy, even in the slightest bit, but that’s what you’ve given me… happiness, or something very close to it… And for that, I remain even more in your debt… After the war, I was totally broken, living life, yet not living at all… I was going through the motions of a life I’d once live, completely without emotion or purpose… You’ve given me purpose again, Harry. You’ve given me something to look forward to every day, and something worth waking up for every morning.” 

He smiled and looked away just for a moment, but it was just enough for him to catch the glance of his mother who had re-entered the room at some point without him taking notice. He couldn’t read her expression, but there was something in it that he recognised. Something there that he hadn’t seen in many years… he couldn’t pinpoint it exactly though… The curiosity he was experiencing must’ve been written all over his face because she nodded at him, and gave him a smile. It was a small one, and likely undetectable by the others in the room that did not know her as he knew her, but it was there, and Draco knew then that she knew his feelings for Harry were genuine and that she’d accepted them. However, to keep up public appearances and expectations, she flipped her expression back to her mask, stood up, and exited the room for the final time that day. This was to be expected, of course, after he’d basically just admitted to the whole Wizarding World that he’d been in love with another man. He completely understood why she had to go, but still, it did sting a little that she did. 

It was this that snapped him back into reality, and he took in his surroundings once more. The panel members stared at him completely dumbfounded. Even the woman in blue had to remember to close her mouth as she stared at him in utter disbelief. She’d definitely gotten more out of him than she’d bargained for, and it was definitely not information she’d expected. Some of them were watching his mother’s public rejection of her son’s admission and only brought their attention back to him once the door behind her closed and she was gone. 

Just as the woman in blue had shaken herself out of her stupor and was about to speak again, another member of the panel cut her off-- “Sophia, don’t you think you’ve put this young man through enough already? After all, this is not his trial… this is a hearing, and I believe we’ve all heard enough. It is obvious that young Malfoy here is not responsible for this unexplainable situation he’s found himself in with Potter, and judging by both of their actions and reactions here today, it looks to have brought them closer together, which could never be a bad thing if you ask me. Furthermore, we’ve gotten wildly off topic, and I see no further need to keep questioning this young man when he’s obviously not in the wrong here.”

The expression on the woman in blue’s, apparently named Sophia, face turned to one of anger and frustration. “Mr. Napier, have you forgotten that this young man has taken the Dark Mark? He is a Death Eater, and I forbid to see him exonerated of his crimes! The boy deserves to be punished!” The redness in her face was getting deeper, and her posture was stiffening to show her outward anger. “And for that matter---

She was cut off again by another member of the panel, “Mrs. Vaccaro! We have heard enough from you and your biases today, and I’ll not have you tormenting this young man anymore. He’s obviously been through enough of this, and it is plainly obvious he is innocent of what he is being accused of here. He already faced his trials after the war, and you putting him through that torment again today is a complete abuse of your power.”

“But you cannot be serious! Eric, you must see his true colours...He must pay for what he’s done. He must--”

“MRS. VACARRO! YOU ARE OUT OF LINE!” The man stood up and walked over to the woman in blue. In a much calmer voice that was still audible for all in the room to hear, he continued, “You will stand down from this, or I’ll be forced to speak to the Minister about your job. Do you understand me?” He gave her a knowing look, and by his posture, facial expression, and his ability to manipulate this woman, Draco understood that these two individuals had more together than a working relationship, but he refused to think about everything that implied. He was just grateful that the man was able to think sensibly and was willing to talk her down. 

If looks could kill, the one Mrs. Vacarro was giving to ‘Eric’ would definitely be one. She didn’t respond after that though. Instead, she just stared down the man until she’d reached her seat again and the man named Eric went to sit back in his. Draco wasn’t sure what to expect after that. 

Suddenly, another voice spoke up. Draco did not recognise this woman, but she had much kinder eyes than Mrs. Vacarro. “Mr. Malfoy, I believe we’ve heard enough from you today, but I do ask that you remain present until this panel has had time to discuss what we’ve learned. It shouldn’t be more than a few minutes.” She gestured to a waiting area in the back corner of the room and then continued, “You and your- companions may wait in the designated area until we are though, but I don’t foresee us having any more reason to detain you here today. I believe I speak for the majority of the panel when I say that we believe you are in no way connected with Mr. Ewan Coyle or Mr. Alexander Gregson. The serum would have made you admit it by now if you were.” She shot Mrs. Vacarro a glare before turning back to Draco to dismiss him.

The official who had fed him the serum unlocked the door that was keeping him in his place at the stand and Draco nearly ran out of it and towards Harry who was anxiously waiting for him just beyond the interrogation floor. He wasn’t sure what to expect when he approached the boy, only that he desperately needed to be near him, even though they hadn’t been all that far apart. Whatever he expected, it’s not what he got. Suddenly, he found himself wrapped up in strong arms and his face buried in a mass of dark waves. He collapsed into the embrace, breathed in the wonderful scent that was undeniably Harry, and just let the other boy hold him for a moment. 

Again, no words needed to be spoken between them. Draco had already spilled his guts to the panel in full earshot of Harry, and Harry’s embrace said everything Draco needed to know. Harry’s strong hold on him told him that everything he’d said had been accepted. It said that even though Draco had his faults, they’d been acknowledged and approved. It said that “I am here for you, and I ‘m not going anywhere.” But most importantly, his hold said that everything was going to be okay.

Draco held back a sob that threatened to escape his lips and he was incredibly grateful that Harry’s long hair was hiding the tears that were falling down his face, even though everyone in that room had already seen him cry. It was different now that he was standing among them. He felt embarrassed and weak, so he elected to keep them hidden. 

Suddenly, he heard a voice coming from behind Harry. “Boys, I think we need to move to the waiting area now. The panel can’t begin their discussion until we are out of earshot.” It was Hermione, of course. Draco sniffled a bit and tried to compose himself before releasing Harry and moving, but Harry held onto him for a moment longer, forcing him back to himself just as Draco attempted to pull away. It startled Draco for a moment, but then Harry was whispering something into his ear, “I think there has always been a little part of me that’s been in love with you too.” 

Harry pulled away, leaving Draco completely stunned for a moment and facing Weasley and Hermione who were staring at him with indiscernible expressions. But then there was a tug on his hand, and he realised that Harry was pulling him to where they needed to go. Hermione and Weasley followed close behind, and they all waited for the discussion of the panel to come to an end. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Later that evening, Harry, Weasley, Hermione, and Draco lay in various places throughout their flat. Weasley was sitting at the study tables eating Merlin knows what. Hermione was sitting on the floor with the back rested up against one of the comfy armchairs, and Draco lay on the sofa with his head in Harry’s lap as Harry ran his fingers gently through his blond waves. Once they’d heard back from the panel, and Draco was no longer accused of causing this ‘horrible’ situation, the gang silently made their way back to the room and placed themselves in the positions they were still occupying. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts of the day’s events and everything that had been revealed. 

Of course, it was Hermione who broke the silence. “Draco, I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just going to say it.” The abrupt end of silence made Draco sit up, and as he did so, he turned toward her and she was looking at him with a tear threatening to escape her left eye. Before he could say anything, she continued, “Most of my life I’ve spent hating you for good reasons… We’ve never gotten on, and your blatant racism against Muggle-borns is not something that I’ve been able to ignore…” She let the tear fall, and with it, came many more. In a pained voice, she continued, and Draco became emotional once again. “However… it never occurred to me everything you had to go through and everything you grew up with… It’s no wonder you held such high disregard for me… for people like me” 

She paused for a moment to wipe her face and straighten up, and Draco thought for a moment that he should say something to her and try to ask for forgiveness, but the words wouldn’t come. Instead, he let her speak. 

“I can’t go on believing that you are the same person that you were all those years ago… the person that I loathed with every fiber in my being.. not after the torture I endured in your home… I imagine it to be a similar torture you were put through, just as painful, even if it wasn’t physical... And for that, I can’t bring myself to hate you anymore...In a different world, maybe you wouldn’t be different... If Voldemort had never come back, but he did. And you are different…. I can’t go on denying that, especially since Harry so desperately needs you in his life…”

Draco felt the hot moisture on his cheeks as his tears rolled down them once again at her words. “Hermione, I--”

“No, Draco, let me finish,” she said through a sob. He nodded at her and she closed her eyes for a moment before she continued in almost a whisper, “I forgive you, Draco… for everything.” She stood up and walked toward him with her hand extended, expecting a handshake. Draco looked up at her through his tear-filled eyes and let loose a sob. 

A handshake wasn’t enough. He stood and enveloped her into a hug that completely surprised even himself. He whispered into her wild hair, “I truly am sorry, Hermione… for everything.”

“I know, Draco…. I know that now.” They both sobbed into each other’s shoulders for a moment before they both pulled away and gave each other a knowing look before stepping apart. Draco watched as she walked over to Weasley and sat down in his lap. The red-headed boy wrapped his long arms around her, kissed her forehead, and used a gentle touch to push her hair back behind her ear. It was then that Draco saw just how much Hermione meant to the boy, and why he still remained so hostile toward him, but then Weasley gave him a nod that thanked him. It wasn’t much, and in no way did it mean the tension between them was absolved…. But it was something. And Draco would take that for now. 

Draco walked back over to Harry and sat down in his lap, just as Hermione had done with Weasley, and he let the other boy’s arms wrap around him. He placed a small kiss to the boy’s lips and then rested his head on his strong shoulder. “You’ve been through a lot today, Draco… but I’m really proud of you for staying so strong. Hopefully, this will all be over soon.” 

“Yeah… hopefully,” he said in almost a catatonic state. 

Suddenly, the door to their room burst open, and a worried-looking McGonagall came barging in. This time, however, Draco couldn’t bring himself to care. As soon as she spotted Draco, she went over to him immediately, kneeled down in front of him, and began inspecting him as well as he and Harry’s energies. My dear boys, what have they done to you?” she said in a very concerned tone. Without letting them respond, she continued, still apparently oblivious to the face that Draco and Harry were embracing so intimately. “Just as I was about to enter into the hearing room, they whisked me off to one of my own.” 

This shocked Draco. He sat up straighter and sat next to Harry instead of on him. “Wait, they interrogated you as well? What for?” He watched as his energy became visible once again along with Harry’s and noticed the diminishing attachment between them, but this time he was able to take his attention off of it because of his concern for McGonagall and what trouble she might have been in because of all of this. 

She scoffed and continued inspecting them, “Well, your guess is as good as mine, Mr. Malfoy, but for some reason, they believed that I was working with Gregson and Coyle because it was my decision to bring them into my school. But if you ask me, they’re the ones who should have been interrogated because the bloody fools worked alongside them for years and didn’t notice anything amiss. Why would I have any cause to question them?” Suddenly, she gained a horrified expression on her face. “Forgive me, boys. I have spoken too much on the matter and let my emotions got the best of me.” 

It was Harry that spoke next, just as she was finishing up her inspection and their energies fading once more. “Professor, please tell me you haven’t been charged with anything?”

She stood up and clasped her hands together, “Well, of course not, Potter. I’d have to be guilty of something first, and I made sure that those fools knew who was really in the wrong here, and that it definitely wasn’t me.” This answer made Harry chuckle, and Draco also couldn't help smiling a little at the comment. McGonagall was definitely a force to be reckoned with, and he only wished then that he could have seen the looks on her panel’s faces as she was laying into them. 

She scanned the rest of the room and appeared to be stunned to see they weren’t alone. “Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger…. It’s after curfew. If you don’t want to lose House points, I suggest you make your way back to your rooms.” She cocked an eyebrow at them, and Weasley gave her an incredulous look. “Now, Mr. Weasley.” They both got up quickly and left the room, giving Harry and Draco one last encouraging look before apologising to McGonagall and leaving. 

Draco couldn’t help admiring McGonagall then. After everything they’d been through that day, she still treated them just as she would any other Hogwarts student, and he respected her immensely for doing that. She definitely took her job seriously, and that was something worthy of taking notice of. She turned back to address them again. “As for you boys, get some rest. You’ll be making up your final exam tomorrow, and I’ll not have you being exhausted during it.” She looked them up and down once, and then turned to leave. But just before she closed the door behind herself, she said one final thing, “I’m sorry for all that you’ve been through…. Neither of you deserves it.” And then she was gone, and they were alone once again. 

Harry leaned over and kissed Draco’s cheek tenderly before getting up and heading toward the shower, leaving the door to the bathroom open behind him. Not knowing what else to do, Draco followed. Both boys stripped themselves of their clothing and stepped into the shower, letting the brilliantly warm water wash over them. After the long and eventful day, the feeling of the warm water over his skin felt like it was washing away more than the dirt and oils from his body. It was then that he realised just how much he wanted to wash everything away and escape to a world where he wasn’t Draco Malfoy, son of a Death Eater and an actual Death Eater himself. He wished so badly to become invisible to the world and escape the expectations that everyone seemed to have for him, and the weight that of this put on him, but he knew that could never happen. 

Suddenly, he felt as Harry began washing his back with a lathered up loofa, and the world felt just a little bit lighter. It was as if Harry had read his mind, and he wanted to be the one to help Draco wash away all the bad things in his life. The dark-haired boy gently began washing Draco’s body, taking extra care of his sensitive skin, and Draco allowed him to do so. He didn’t realise just how intimate letting someone else wash him would be, and thought that with any other person, this would have been extremely awkward. But with Harry, it wasn’t anything of the sort. He felt glad to have someone who could do this for him, and somehow, it made him feel closer than ever to this boy with the gorgeous green eyes. 

Harry started with Draco’s torso and slowly made his way down to his feet, making sure not a single part of him was left unclean, and that made Draco feel much better… as if all of the bad things in his life were falling away from his body, and draining into the pipes beneath the floor. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the cold tile, and let the water continue washing over him as Harry began cleaning off himself once he was through with Draco. 

A few moments later, Draco felt as Harry leaned up against him and started placing small kisses to his chest and neck. Draco opened his eyes and leaned forward, wrapping his arms around the boy and running his fingers through his wet hair. He gave the hair a small tug so that he could pull Harry’s lips up to his own and began kissing him with immediate fervor and the desperate need to escape with Harry for a while to pretend as if they are the only two beings left in the world… and at that moment, that’s exactly what it felt like to Draco. 

It was as if each touch and each kiss pushed him farther and farther into this fantasy, and he hungered for more. He ran his hands up and Down Harry’s body, wanting to feel every part of him at once. He kissed Harry’s lips, neck, and torso, wanting to taste everything. Harry moaned and kissed back with an equal amount of fervor, and the boys successfully forgot about the world around them. 

Without breaking contact, Draco felt Harry pull him away from the shower and the wonderfully warm water, and he felt as his body was dried by a wandless drying spell. Then Harry was dragging him through their room to the closest bed where he collapsed and let Draco fall on top of him. Draco rejoined their lips, and he felt Harry’s cock jump between them at the contact. Suddenly, he desperately needed to feel Harry inside of him. 

Draco grabbed Harry and turned them over so that Harry was on top of him, and he placed a pillow under his hips to give Harry’s better access. Harry gave him a look that told him he understood the desperation he was experiencing, and he lubed up his fingers immediately. 

It didn’t take as long to stretch him out this time, but it was still much longer than Draco preferred. Just after Harry inserted his third finger, Draco cried out in desperation, “Please, Harry. I need you.” 

“Okay, Draco,” said Harry as he leaned down to give Draco a tender kiss, which Draco deepened. Harry pulled away only long enough to press his swollen cock into Draco, and Draco winced slightly as he did so. Once the initial pain died away, Draco pushed into Harry, and Harry pulled Draco up so that they were both sitting. Draco’s legs were wrapped around Harry as he sat on his lap. The angle that this created sent really pleasuring chills through Draco’s body as Harry’s cock pressed up against something magical inside of him. Slowly, Draco began to move up and down, making sure each thrust created the same magical pressure within him. 

Harry moaned loudly as the pleasure was taking hold, and he leaned back so that his head was at the foot of the bed. This ultimately pushed him further into Draco, causing Draco to moan as well. Draco repositioned himself so that he was on his knees, and he began to bounce rhythmically on top of Harry, creating the most pleasurable sensation within them both. He felt as Harry’s slick hand wrapped around his cock and began stroking to the same rhythm as his hips. It wasn’t long before Draco was crying out as the sticky liquid spilled from his cock over Harry’s stomach, and it wasn’t much longer after that when he felt Harry’s release inside of himself. 

They rode out their orgasms, and Draco collapsed next to Harry at the foot of the bed. He wrapped his arm around the boy’s torso and placed a small, breathless kiss to his cheek before snuggling up against him to rest. They stayed like that for several minutes until each of their breathing had normalised, and then Harry spoke up. 

“Draco?”

Draco’s eyes were closed, and his forehead was resting against Harry’s cheeks. Without moving, he responded, “Hmm?”

Harry placed a kiss to his forehead and continued, “I’m sorry about everything you’ve had to go through recently…” His voice sounded utterly somber. 

Draco lifted his head so that he could look into Harry’s eyes. “I’m sorry you had to be dragged along through all of this with me,” he said with the utmost sincerity. 

Harry smiled the smallest of smiles and brushed back a stray hair behind Draco’s ear. “I would do anything for you, Draco.”

Draco smiled back. “Somehow, I know that to be true, Harry…. And somehow, I think that I would do anything for you too…”

Harry smiled wider this time and pulled Draco down into a long and tender kiss that washed away anything left of Draco’s worries. And he thought in that moment, that yes, he really was falling in love with Harry Potter, and maybe now it’s time to stop fighting it and let it happen. 

 

He pressed his forehead against Harry’s for a moment, and then pulled them both up to the head of the bed so they could tuck themselves in, snuggle up, and get some sleep.


	25. Defined

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter takes place after Draco's hearing, and he and Harry define a few things about their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry about the delay to this next chapter. I was sick, my grandfather was hospitalized, and there was a grand old, American holiday to celebrate. Also, I’ve re-written this chapter about 4 times now. I tried to incorporate a letter from Narcissa to Harry and Draco, but every time I wrote it, it didn’t sound like her… I’ve elected to remove it for now. I’m still brainstorming how she should behave in the presence of the boys, and I can’t seem to come up with anything.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you Persephoplace for the tips! I welcome that kind of feedback because it helps me keep the story more authentic. Hopefully, I have cleared everything up in this chapter. 
> 
> As always, your comments and kudos are extremely appreciated and they keep me motivated to write. Thank you all so much for supporting this fic and traveling on this journey with me.

The morning sun woke Draco as it cast its light in through the window. For a moment, Draco relaxed in its warmth and pulled the sleeping boy next to him closer. He was still lost in the world he and Harry had created for themselves. Harry repositioned himself and breathed deeply while wrapping himself tightly around the blond. Draco smiled and placed a small kiss to the top of his head. 

Just when he was about to rouse Harry from his sleep to get ready for the day, he heard a light tapping at the window. He looked over to see a gorgeous Tawny owl outside with a letter gripped in his feet. He felt Harry sit up next to him and grab his glasses off of the end table. “It’s not time for mail yet. Is it?” Harry asked when he noticed the owl.

Draco cocked a curious eyebrow and responded, “No, but this owl seems to have slipped in unnoticed somehow.” He got up and walked toward the window. The beautiful owl had found a ledge to rest on and had placed the letter in his beak for safe keeping. Draco realised upon further inspection of the owl that it was not an ordinary Tawny owl which are usually brown in colour. This owl was black and was clearly bred to be larger and have a sleeker look than normal owls. It was then that he knew who had sent it. He hurriedly opened up the window to let the creature in and he removed the letter from its beak. 

Harry had come over during the exchange and gave the owl a soft pet as Draco examined the letter. Draco was stunned to notice that the letter was not addressed to him. No, the letter was addressed to “Mr. Harry Potter” in his mother’s fine script.

 

“Hmm.. That’s odd,” Harry said when he’d obviously come to the same conclusion. Draco passed the letter over to him and watched as he read. When he was finished he closed the letter back up and gave Draco a small kiss before walking over to his wardrobe to get ready for the day. 

This irritated Draco greatly. “Potter, are you not going to let me know what it said?” he said in a frustrated voice. “What has my mother sent you?”

Harry just laughed, making Draco all the more frustrated. He crossed his arms and glared at the brunette to show his aggravation. 

Harry laughed again, recrossed the room, and placed his hands on Draco’s hip. “Relax, Draco. You’re so easy to irritate, love” he said as he gave him a small peck on the cheek.

Suddenly, Harry’s eyes grew wide when he’d realised what he’d just said, but the phrase went completely unnoticed by Draco because he was so distracted with his own mission to figure out what on earth his mother could have sent to Harry. “Potter, I can’t believe you’re not going to tell me!”

Harry relaxed a little when he realised that Draco didn’t notice what he’d said. He ran his hand through his curls and just handed the letter over to Draco who began reading it intently. 

“Well, this is just an invitation to join her over the Christmas holiday,” he gave Harry a confused look. 

Harry’s face was shaded a deep red, still from the embarrassment from before. “Yeah… it is. I guess your mother wanted to formally invite me.” He had gone back over to his wardrobe to put on his robes and was buttoning his shirt when Draco came to join him, still dressed only in his pants. 

Draco smiled because he couldn’t help it. “Yes, she would have considered herself rude if she had not sent one.” He nudged Harry in mock aggravation. “Prat… you made it seem like much more.” He gave Harry another gentle nudge to the shoulder. 

Harry chuckled and opened his mouth wide in fake astonishment, “I did nothing of the sort.” Then, he touched Draco’s nose with his index finger just to mess with him more and backed away quickly so Draco couldn’t retaliate. 

It was Draco’s turn to look fake aghast. “Did you just boop my nose?” He began walking toward Harry with a devilish grin, and Harry kept backing away until the edge of the bed made him fall back onto it with Draco still approaching. “You going to get it now, Potter,” he said as he leaped onto the boy, pinned him between his legs, and began tickling him mercilessly. Harry’s laughter made Draco’s entire body tingle, and he couldn’t remember a moment when he’d felt so relaxed and so free.

Just when Draco thought Harry had enough, the boy used all of his strength to flip their positions so that Draco was then pinned between his legs. Draco had almost forgotten how strong the boy actually was, and his cock jumped at that mere thought alone. Suddenly, Harry was kissing him deeply, and he thought then that if he never left this bed and the company of this boy for the rest of his life, then that would be a life well lived. However, their brief moment of bliss was ended when they were interrupted by a knock on their door. 

“Harry! Draco! You’ll be late to the last exam if you don’t hurry,” came the unmistakable voice of Hermione from behind the entrance.

Harry rested his forehead against Draco’s chest for a second and then got up to let in his annoyingly prompt friend. “Alright, Hermione. I’m coming to let you in.” He opened the door for her and as soon as she took sight of them, she covered her eyes. 

“Seriously, boys. You could at least put some clothes on before you answer the door.” She was followed into the room by an oblivious Weasley, who didn’t seem to take any notice or care that they were half-naked in front of his girlfriend. He had half an apple in his hand and was taking another bite when Harry responded, “Hermione, it’s not like you’ve never seen a willy before. I mean, I’m sure you see Ron’s all the time.” He gave her a wink, and Draco couldn’t help but laugh at that. 

She looked at him incredulously, but the bright redness in her cheeks was a tell-tale sign that Harry was right. “You’re so crass, Harry.”

Harry laughed and began putting on his shoes as his tie dangled undone around his neck. Draco did the same and was finishing up his tie when he saw Hermione walk over and begin tieing Harry’s tie for him. Suddenly, Draco had a thought. He’d never actually seen Harry tie his tie before. He usually just loosened it and pulled it over his head without removing the knot from it. It occurred to him then that Harry didn’t know how to tie a tie, and that fact was particularly amusing. Then he remembered how he’d been the one to yank it off of the boy, effectively removing the knot and not knowing any better. He’d have to do that again so that he could be the one to tie it up next time, and it definitely was not because he was jealous that Hermione was his tie tier...okay, so maybe it was. 

He shook himself out of his thoughts and walked over to join the others. They all walked down to the Great Hall to grab something quick to eat, and then they headed off toward the dungeons to take their Potion’s exam. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The exam wasn’t nearly as hard as what Draco imagined it could have been. It was merely identifying different potions that Slughorn had brewed by their characteristics and ingredients. He had various stations set up throughout the classroom with the different potions and their ingredients laid out beside them. Some of the potions were easier to identify than other solely based on their distinct colours or fragrances, but others needed careful examination of the ingredients to determine what they were. This was a fairly simple task for Draco in any case, but he couldn’t help but notice that Harry seemed to be struggling quite a bit. 

It was no secret by then that the bond between the two boys was weakening, and Slughorn made sure each station was close enough for them to be comfortable against the pull of their energies, but far enough away to ensure there would be no cheating between them. However, Draco was determined to aide Harry at whatever cost. 

Since Draco was ahead of him in stations, all he needed to do was get his attention so that he could mouth the answers to Harry, but that seemed to be a harder task than he’s originally imagined it would be. He tried moving farther away so that the tug of energies might get his attention silently, but when that didn’t work, Draco was forced to move to Plan B. 

Harry’s attention was directed immediately towards Draco once Draco had ‘tripped’ over a chair leg and crashed his body into the student at the station in front of his own. Slughorn, who had been carefully monitoring the students from an elevated platform that allowed him to see the full room moved to help Draco, but then stopped once Draco righted himself, apologised to the boy he’d crashed into, and pretended to continue working. Once Draco was certain that he was no longer being watched, he looked over and was glad to see he’d finally gotten Harry’s attention. 

Harry mouthed to him first, ‘Are you okay?’

Draco didn’t bother answering that question, instead, he mouthed back, ‘Wolfsbane Potion.”

Harry gave him a confused look in return. Draco rolled his eyes and looked around to make sure he wasn’t being watched again, and then he pointed at the cauldron in front of Harry. “Wolfsbane Potion,” he mouthed again, hoping that Harry would understand. 

Harry looked down at his cauldron and then his eyes lit up as he returned his gaze back to Draco. “Wolfsbane?” he mouthed, looking for reassurance that he’d read Draco’s lips correctly. Draco smiled and nodded in return. Harry smiled and mouthed, “Thanks,” while also giving him a wink. 

Draco continued to do this for Harry for the duration of the exam, even though it wasn’t always necessary. He could tell that even when Harry did know the answers, he still appreciated getting the confirmation from Draco that he’d been accurate. 

When it was over, Harry walked over to Draco and grabbed his hands. “Thank you, Draco. That was rougher than I care to admit. I just hope I didn’t mess this up, even with your help.”

Draco squeezed his hands but then let go, afraid that someone else might see. Come to think of it now, he wasn’t really sure why Harry wasn’t being more careful now that they were back at school. The public display of affection in the Ministry is one thing. It was private, and officials aren’t allowed to discuss proceedings to the general public, but here…. Well… there are a lot of people here that aren’t going anywhere and could make their lives hell if they were to find out the true nature of their relationship. He felt the redness in his cheeks and looked down to avoid showing his embarrassment to Harry. “Not here, Harry… please.” He looked back up at Harry with a semi-pleading look. 

Harry gave him that confused look once again and responded, “Okay, Draco… I just thought that….. Nevermind.” He gave Draco a small smirk and he, Harry, Hermione, and Weasley all joined each other again to go grab an early lunch. It was a nice day, and their last day all together until after Christmas holiday, so they decided to spend it in Harry and Draco’s apartment where no one else could bother them.   
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

In the flat, Draco was sitting at the end of the sofa with Harry’s head in his lap. Weasley was sitting in the armchair next to the sofa with Hermione sitting cross-legged on the floor between his legs. She was using his seat as a backrest. Just as Draco was absent-mindedly running his hands through Harry’s hair, Weasley was doing the same to Hermione. They’d been discussing the different answers to the Potions final, and Draco was actually glad to hear that he and Hermione agreed upon almost all of their answers. Then he admitted something that he never thought he would. “You know, it’s nice being able to have conversations like these… Crabbe and Goyle were not clever enough, and Pansy and Blaise just assumed that we all had the same opinions and thought, so we never spoke like we are now.” 

The shock on the others’ faces made Draco laugh. “What? I can’t have a candid moment?”

Hermione smiled. “It’s just a little unexpected is all,” she said as she stretched her legs out in front of her to get the blood flowing properly again. “... Speaking of unexpected… Harry, you might want to cool it on the PDA”

Draco gave her a confused look. “PDA?”

“Public. Displays. Of Affection,” she said in a to-the-point explanation. Then she directed her gaze back to Harry. “I saw you grab Draco’s hand today. That won’t bode well if you’re trying to keep (she gestured between them) whatever this is a secret.”

Harry blushed and sat up to look at her. “Yeah, I know, but I’m not really sure I want to keep this a secret anymore… I’m kinda tired of hiding.” 

Hermione’s face became what looked to Draco to be a little cross. “Don’t you think you should okay that with Draco first? He may not want to go public just yet.”

Harry laughed nervously and looked back over to Draco. “I didn’t even think… I’m sorry, Draco.”

Draco shook his head, “As long as no one else saw, I think it’s quite alright… Although, Hermione is right. I’m not quite ready for everyone else to know just yet.” And that was true… he was sure that one day he would be able to let the world know, but for right now, he was still getting used to all of this. He didn’t need the world to go through all of his emotions with him. He’d rather them just find out later. 

Suddenly, there was a knock on their door, but just as Harry was getting up to answer it, McGonagall came bursting in. She surveyed the room and greeted each of them separately. 

“So to what do we owe the pleasure of this visit?” Draco asked in an attempt to get her to her point of being their quicker. He was in no mood for small talk, so the sooner she got to her point, the better. 

“Yes, of course. I just came to check up on your energies once more since you will both be leaving Hogwarts tomorrow against my wishes.” She gave both of them a pointed look over her glasses. “I shouldn’t have to remind you that Coyle and Gregson are still on the loose, and we aren’t even sure who all they have teamed up with them.” 

Draco looked at her a bit perplexed. Not because he wasn’t well aware of the dangers that the escaped duo posed to them, but because he hadn’t mentioned to her that they’d be leaving, and as far as he knew, Harry hadn’t either. It wasn’t like Harry could have gone off without him knowing about it. McGonagall must have read his thoughts through his facial expressions, and just as he was about to say something, she cut him off. “Save it, Mr. Malfoy. Your mother owled me and informed me of your intentions. Though I’m not sure how she got her bird passed the standard security we have for mail. I have Professor Flitwick looking into that now, so hopefully, we can correct that flaw… Anyway, if you both would stand, I find it easier to assess this way.” Each of them stood, even Hermione and Weasley, and they let her get to work.

Draco didn’t use to think that he’d ever tire of seeing the magnificent thing that was magical energy, but the longer time passed and the more the separation between him and Harry was fading, well, the more he found it harder to look. However, the others marveled openly at their energies when she’d revealed them again. Their current state wasn’t much different from the last time she’d checked, but that was to be expected. It hadn’t been that long since she’d done so the last time. 

McGonagall returned them to normal and straightened her robes after returning her wand to her sleeve. “It seems that everything is in order. Although, I won’t be surprised if you may find yourselves separated by the time you return. But just to be safe, I don’t think you should stray too far apart from each other until you are back here, and I am able to assess you again. Understood?” She looked at them again over her glasses and awaited their responses. 

Draco nodded at her and he watched as Harry did the same. “Good. Try not to get yourselves into too much trouble while you’re away… although, I have this sinking feeling that trouble will most definitely find you.” She looked them up and down again, but this time her expression was one of deep concern. Draco almost wanted to comfort her, but he refrained, not wanting to look foolish in front of his peers. Instead, he responded with, “Don’t worry, professor. The Manor is just about as safe-guarded as this castle. We should be very well-kept there.”

She gave a small hmpf and spoke in what seemed out of mere reaction, “Forgive me if I don’t trust the securities of the home that once housed the Dark Lord.” Her face turned completely pale as if she’d realised what she’d just said. “Forgive me again. I spoke without thinking… I’m sure Narcissa knows very well how to protect her only son. I didn’t mean to question it.” Awkwardly, she brushed off her robes and turned to face the door. Then, she was gone just as quickly as she appeared. 

He felt as Hermione walked up and stood next to him. “I’ve never seen her misspeak like that. She must really be worried...” Then she repositioned herself so that she was standing directly in front of both of them. “Are you both sure you shouldn’t just stay here over break. I mean, even if nothing happens, you’ll be safe.” Draco noticed then that Hermione was looking particularly worried as well, but the prospect of being in his home and having new scenery, even in the face of danger was too tempting for him to pass up, and he knew that Harry felt very similarly. 

Harry grabbed hold of Hermione’s hands to reassure her and spoke in a calm voice. “Hermione, Draco and I are going to be okay. It’s just as he said. I’m sure Narcissa has security covered, and Draco and I are more than capable of handling ourselves if something should arise.” Draco wasn’t quite sure that last bit was convincing. Hermione had just saved them both from dying in an alleyway not too long ago, and he could tell by the look on Hermione’s face that she was thinking the same thing. 

Weasley did his best to back up his friend, but his attempt was feeble, “Yeah, Hermione. It’s not like he hasn’t defeated the Dark Lord every year since he was 11, but what do I know?” Hermione punched his arm in retort. “Ow!” he said as he began rubbing the spot where her fist connected with his tricep. 

Draco knew he needed to interject so that her nerves would calm, so he said the first thing that came to mind, “Mother is very gifted in the art of defense. She had to be given her situation as a child and even after she married my father. She is quite capable of protecting us as well as herself, even though I agree that Harry and I would also be fine on our own.” He threw in that last bit to back up Harry’s statement, but the rest seemed to appease her for the time being. 

She nodded, squeezed Harry’s hand, and then gave them each a long hug before walking back over to Weasley and locking arms with him. “Well, I expect to see both of you sometime over break.” She looked directly at Harry and continued, “Grimmauld Place still has its protections up, and should be as safe as any place to meet up. Does that should alright to you, Harry?”

Draco had heard that name before, but he couldn’t place it. “Grimmauld Place? Why does that sound so familiar to me?” He looked back and forth between Harry and Hermione awaiting an answer. Hermione’s face had gone completely pale as if she realised she’d said something wrong, and Harry was giving her a sort of glare.

However, she quickly filled in the blanks for him after giving Harry an apologetic look, “Well, I’m not surprised at all that it sounds familiar. It was your mother’s cousin’s home before he died. It had its other uses during the way, but since Sirius was Harry’s godfather, the Ministry allowed the ownership to be transferred to him.” 

He remembered it then. He’d heard his mother tell stories of when they’d visit the home of their cousins, but nothing more than that. He was more shocked to discover that Harry owned a home, and he’d never mentioned it before. “Wait, Harry, you have a house?” He looked over at the boy who couldn’t seem to make eye contact with him at the moment. 

Harry’s cheeks flushed, which confused Draco because why on earth would this be something that would embarrass him? Just then, he was interrupted by Hermione’s cough. “Well, it’s getting late, and Ronald and I should probably head back to our dormitory before Filtch has a chance to catch us out after curfew. She hugged them once more, Harry hugged Weasley, and the boys just watched as the other duo left and the door shut behind them. 

As soon as they were gone, Draco resumed his line of questioning. He turned so that he and Harry were face-to-face, “You have a house? Why haven’t you said anything about it until now?”

Harry’s face turned bright red again, and he tried to turn away, but Draco grabbed his arms and forced him to stay in place. After a long sigh, Harry replied, “I wasn’t sure how you’d feel about me owning a house that has been in your family for generations.” 

Draco relaxed a bit and let out a sort of half-sigh/ half- chuckle. He let go of Harry and ran his fingers through his hair. “You know, Harry, in another world in another time, I would have used that information as another excuse to hate you.” He stepped closer and pulled the boy to him to give him a kiss on the forehead and the standing there facing him with his hands on the other boy’s shoulders. “However, I believe we both know that those feelings for you are long gone.” He was still smiling and he pulled Harry in for a proper kiss. Harry had placed his hands on Draco’s hips and attemoted to deepen the kiss, but Draco pulled away just slightly. He chuckled a little when he heard the disapproving moan escape Harry once their lips were no longer touching. “Although, I wish you didn’t feel like you had to hide stuff like that from me.” 

The redness returned to Harry’s face, which only made Draco’s smile wider. “I’m sorry, Draco. I know I should have told you, but part of me thought you might have already known about it since we used it in the war, and the other part of me didn’t want to ruin what we have going right now by telling you about it…. Either way, I should have still told you.” He tried backing away, and Draco was about to stop him but did let him go because that last bit brought up something that had been troubling him for a while now. There was definitely no arguing that there was something between himself and Harry, but neither one of them had yet to define it. It was probably high time that they did. 

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that, actually… about whatever this is.” He gestured between them with his hand, and the look on Harry’s face told him that he’d understood. 

“Yeah… this conversation is probably overdue,” said Harry as he walked over and sat down on the sofa. 

Draco followed him and took the seat next to him. For a few moments, they just sat there in silence, staring at the fire that always seemed to be lit without either of them ever lighting it. It sometimes made Draco nervous to think just how sneaky house elves could be being able to move about without being seen.

Neither one of them wanted to be the one to break it in fear that they weren’t on the same page with things. Just when Draco was about to crack, Harry sighed deeply and spoke, “I don’t know how you feel about me… not truly anyway… but my feelings for you are strong. Stronger than I’ve ever felt before, and I don’t know what that means, but I do know that I’m dreading the day that our bond has finally broken because I know it’ll mean I won’t get to see you as much.” he turned his head toward Draco, and Draco did the same so that they were looking directly into each other’s eyes. 

Draco had to swallow before he spoke because the stupid lump in his throat made a grand reappearance. He grabbed Harry’s hand and began to speak, “I-- I….” he looked down because he needed to search for the right words. He needed Harry to know that the feelings were mutual, but also that he was sure they wouldn’t disappear once the bond was broken. However, Harry misread this action, and suddenly, he was standing and walking towards the window with his face buried in his hands.

“Oh, god! I’ve completely just made a fool of myself. Haven’t I?...” He turned back toward Draco with a bright red face and what looked like tears welling up in his eyes. “Just forget everything I just said, Draco… We can go back to the way things were and that would make me happy.” 

Harry’s eyes seemed to get even greened with the added moisture, and Draco couldn’t look away. He chuckled a little, stood up, and walked slowly over to Harry. He grabbed Harry’s hands and wrapped them around his own neck, and then he placed his hands around the other boy’s hips so that they were almost stomach to stomach. Harry gave him a confused look, and Draco couldn’t help it anymore. He leaned in and gave the boy a tender, deep kiss that hopefully washed away all of the worry Harry had just put himself through. When Harry started kissing back, he knew the boy understood, so when they’d calmed down a bit, he pulled away to look into Harry’s eyes once more. 

“I care for you very much, Harry. You have in no way misread the situation…. I was simply trying to think of how to tell you that… well.. That I--” he didn’t want to confess that he might be falling in love because being that vulnerable when they hadn’t even defined their relationship yet was way too risky. Instead, he finished with, “-- it’s just that I care for you deeply, and I also am not anticipating the day when our bond finally breaks…”

Harry smiled wide and pressed his forehead against Draco’s, which made Draco laugh because the boy had to get on the tip of his toes in order to do so. Draco helped him out by leaning forward, and Harry was able to stand firmly on the ground again. “Does this mean that you’re my… boyfriend?” He pulled away just to look back into Draco’s eyes.

“Boyfriend is such a peculiar word. Isn’t it?” He said it a few times in his head as if he was trying to get used to it, but it still felt strange to even think it. 

Harry chuckled, “Yeah, a little…. But do you have another word to describe this?”

Draco chuckled as well and thought about it for a moment, “Well, the only other term that comes to mind at the moment is partner, and that sounds even weirder.” He shook his head in mock disgust. 

Harry laughed at that. “Well, boyfriends it is. I guess.” 

Draco smiled and nodded. “Boyfriends.” He gave Harry a small kiss and pulled back again. “I guess I’ll have to just get used to it.” 

They spent the rest of the evening packing and showering, and then slept together peacefully wrapped up in each other’s arms. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Later in the evening the next day, Draco watched as Harry peered out the window of his mother’s driver’s car at what must’ve been the terrifyingly familiar home to the completely reformed boy that now sat next to him holding his hand. Normally, he would just floo in, but the securities his mother had in place didn’t allow for people to floo in. They only allowed for people to floo out, so they were forced to endure the long journey by car.

He hadn’t really put much thought into how seeing this place again might bring up some pretty awful memories for Harry, but it really was too late to turn back now. He gave the boy’s hand a light, reassuring squeeze and received a small, nervous smile in return. “Don’t worry, Harry. It’s just a house… A house that has changed just about as much as I have since the war. Everything is going to be alright.” 

Harry’s nervous smile reappeared. “I know Draco… It’s just that… Well, I guess it’s only natural that I’m nervous about what your mother will think of me after this visit.” 

Draco chuckled and squeezed Harry’s hand once more. “If she’s as smart as I think she is, she will grow to care for you just like I have.” 

Harry laughed at that. “Well, I hope not exactly like you have,” implying that Draco’s feelings were that of the romantic sort. “That would just be weird.” 

Draco smacked his arm in mock protest. “You know what I meant, Potter!” 

Harry laughed again. “I do, but it is still fun to mess with you sometimes.” 

When they’d pulled up to the house and exited the car, Harry stood next to him looking up at the giant mansion. “Are you ready?” Draco asked him.

Harry swallowed and answered, “As I’ll ever be.” He smiled, and Draco grabbed his hand and led him up the steps to the front door...


	26. The Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and Harry make it to the manor, and something entirely unexpected happens....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay. I have no excuse, except for a severe case of writer's block. 
> 
> This chapter is short, but hopefully, you enjoy it. Let me know what you think! :)

Whatever Draco expected to happen when he was greeted by his mother was not what actually happened…

The first odd thing Draco noticed was that Narcissa was nowhere to be seen when he and Harry entered through the front doors, which worried Draco a fair amount because it was a centuries-old tradition to greet guests at the door the moment they arrived. There was no way that his mother didn't know they had arrived because there were a startling amount of wards in place that would have warmed her of their arrival. However, Draco shook off the concern. He guessed she wasn't there because he was not a guest, but that didn't account for Harry. He'd never seen such a blatantly rude action from his mother in front of anyone but himself and his father, but Harry was just someone who was just attached to him, according to his mother... so maybe that is why she wasn't there. 

 

The second thing that concerned Draco was that one of the house elves greeted them at the door to Draco's room, informing them that the very near guest bedroom had been made up for Harry to stay in. 

It actually hadn't crossed Draco's mind that his mother might pull a stunt like this, and it caught him completely off guard. Old habits die hard, and it wasn't until he felt Harry's hand pulling on his arm that he stopped yelling at the poor house elf for simply doing her job…. He felt a little twinge of guilt watching the tiny creature scramble to safety after being dismissed by Harry. He'd seen first hand his father's treatment of house elves, so the wild flinch was not an overreaction. 

He had to force himself to look Harry in the eye as he stood there feeling ashamed of himself and embarrassed, yet still annoyed by his mother’s attempt to separate them. "Sorry, Rahima…" He gave her an apologetic look, but she just scurried away, afraid that she might face some abuse from him, even though he'd never laid a hand on her or any of his house elves before…. Another reason why looking like his father was a curse more than a blessing. 

He turned back to Harry who was now holding onto his hip with his left hand and with the other hand, playing with a few waves of hair on the nape of his neck while resting it near his shoulder. He met the other boy's eyes and began to speak his mind when Harry stopped him by placing his finger on his lips. Draco's eyes widened in surprise at the sudden movement. 

"Draco, I know what you're going to say, and the answer is, unfortunately, no." He gave him a pointed, yet apologetic look. 

"But--" he tried saying through Harry's finger.

"No, Draco. I can't give your mother another reason to hate me. She has enough reasons as it is" He removed his finger and placed his hand on Draco's chest. "Besides, we won't be far enough apart that it will be uncomfortable… we can handle this for a few nights."

Draco was about to protest, but Harry cut him off, “Also, I’m not sure, but I think your mother wants me to prove myself to her…” At that, the boy looked down and away, almost as if he was afraid to look Draco in the eyes.

Draco scoffed, “Whatever could’ve given you that impression?” He reached up and grabbed Harry’s chin so that the boy was forced to look at him.

Harry’s cheeks pinkened before he responded. “Well, her invitation sort of tipped me off a bit.” Draco raised a curious eyebrow at him, which was a gesture Harry knew meant for him to continue. “In it, she said that you may be the acting king of this house, but for many years, she was the queen. Therefore, she’s treating this as a game of chess, and she’s got me cornered. By all authority in your world, you have the power to invite over whomever you please because you are the man of this house, but everyone knows that the queen holds the most power on the chessboard. She’s hinting that even though things are the way they are, she’s not willing to give up her hold over this house without a fight… I guess it’s my move now, and I dare say I’m fearful she will eventually have me in checkmate.” 

That almost made Draco smile before he caught himself. Of course, he knew his mother better than anyone as well as the games she plays, and he’s actually quite pleased that Harry was able to pick up on this as well. It made him fall a little bit harder for the boy standing in front of him, but Harry didn’t have to know that just yet. “Harry, do you know how utterly ridiculous you sound right now? The only person you need to prove anything to is me, and that is something you accomplished tenfold.” He gave in to the laugh that had been threatening to escape, and he pulled Harry into a deep kiss.

Harry kissed him back, but pulled away to speak after a few moments, “That may be true, Draco, but you know as well as I do that it is my move, and your mother is the type to expect a grand gesture… I haven’t a bloody clue what I’m supposed to do for that, so I just hope I live up to her expectations.” 

Draco sighed, but didn’t let go of Harry, “Well, if being the saviour of the god-damned wizarding world can’t live up to her expectations or at least be the grand gesture itself, then I’m not sure it is possible. I guess we will have to see what the future holds.” 

Draco leaped away in pain after he felt Harry’s hand make swift contact with the back of his head. “Ow! What the bloody hell was that for, Harry!?”

Harry laughed, “A good boyfriend would reassure their boyfriend to make them feel better no matter how daunting the situation.”

Draco blushed and rubbed the back of his head with his palm. “Well, you could have just said that. No need for violence.”

Harry glared at him playfully before grabbing his hand and pulling him close again. “I think you’ll be okay.” He gave him a small peck on the lips and continued. “However, I’m not sleeping in your room until your mother gets a little more comfortable with this situation.”

Draco groaned at that, but didn’t protest anymore in fear of receiving another smack to the head. Instead, he pulled away from Harry, and they both went off to their seperate rooms to ready themselves for dinner.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Draco’s mother was nothing short of stubborn. He knew that is why she didn’t greet them at the door, nor welcome him home. She is showing her displeasure with the situation. She even showed her displeasure during dinner when she arrived tardy and ordered the next courses before either Draco or Harry could finish the previous one. The tension in the room was unbearable, and Draco couldn’t stand it any longer. 

“Mother, if you're going to keep up this attitude all break, then Harry and I will find another place to go where the tension isn’t able to be cut with a knife.” He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, which caused his mother to cringe at the rude gesture. “Honestly, I’m not sure why you're behaving this way after everything that you told me before. It’s not like the public can see you here. Why not drop this charade already?”

Narcissa startled him a bit by standing up, causing Harry to stand up with her (as this was proper etiquette). He looked over to Draco with a look of utter confusion written all over his face. But before Draco could say anything further, Narcissa spoke, “I’ll not have you speaking to me in such a way, Draco.” She straightened her dress but did not break eye-contact with him. “You cannot begin to understand my emotional state at this moment. For the first time in my life, I have no idea the proper course of action, and that alone has been weighing on me… not to mention finding out my only son’s life is in danger, he is gay and with Harry Bloody Potter- No offense (she looked at Harry and he nodded in understanding), the Malfoy line will probably end with you, and I’m still struggling with the loss of your father, who was my only support for years. He may not have been a good man, and I don’t attest to be a good person either, but our love for each other was something that I never questioned. You boys should both know better than anyone that love is complicated and messy... So you don’t get to do this, Draco. You don’t get to treat me this way… not after everything we’ve both been through.Your still my son, and I can’t bear the thought of losing you too.” She sat back down in her chair after that, but she was still visibly tense and could not bring herself to look him in the eye. . 

Draco relaxed in his char and mulled over everything that was just said. Not only did he understand his mother’s stubbornness, but he also understood that she was indeed in a great deal of pain. To anyone else, that last sentence may have sounded as if she was afraid of Draco dying, but he knew better. He knew now that it wasn’t Harry that was the problem. It was their relationship in general. Until now, Draco had never had anyone else in his life that mattered to him more than her, and she is fearful that with his growing affection for Harry that he will drift farther and farther away from her. No matter how silly of a thought that was, Draco understood it, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak against it just then. There were too many emotions running through him. 

Thankfully, he didn’t have to. It was Harry who broke the awkward silence. “Mrs. Malfoy, if I may…. I’d just like to say that no matter how stubborn Draco is, he isn’t going anywhere… I may be new in his life, and I don’t plan on going anywhere either, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for both of us.” His tone was hopeful and encouraging, and if made Draco fall in love all over again. He looked over to his mother, who now had a single tear running down her cheek. It wasn’t the first time he’s seen his mother cry, but this time he knew that the tears were absolutely genuine. 

 

She looked away from them, and Draco assumed this was her way of trying not to show too much emotion in her features. She clasped her delicate hands together and cleared her throat before speaking again. "Harry, you are wiser than I have ever given you credit for. I know that now, and I am doing my best to come to terms with this whole situation, but you must allow me time. However, Draco will leave me. That fact is inevitable… It is very clear to me how much the both of you belong together, and for the happiness of my only son, I cannot stand in the way of that. But he will leave, and it will to be with you…” She let out a soft shudder before continuing, “And I just can’t seem to banish the feelings I’ve had for you for the majority of your life. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t intend to act on those emotions, but those feelings aren’t something that can change overnight.” She turned to look directly at him. Her expression was an attempt at the stone-cold one he'd become so used to. However, this time there was something else hidden behind it…. It was almost as if she was doubting herself, and that fact alone made Draco sad. He'd never seen his mother unsure of anything before, so this was new territory for them both. “The fact of the matter is that I don’t know how to live this life anymore. I don’t know how to behave, what is expected of me, and I have no one to help me anymore… And… “ 

She was letting herself get worked up, and Draco could see that she was about to go into a full breakdown, and then he did something that was not characteristic of him at all. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and he found that he was embracing his mother as she was weeping into his shoulder. He didn’t remember standing up, let alone walking to the other side of the room to envelope her in the warm hug, but at that moment, he couldn’t imagine himself being anywhere else. They stood that way for several moments, not even loosening their grip on each other. He waited until his mother's sobs were just soft whimpers before pulling back and looking her in the eye. “You are my mother, and that is something that will never change. You say you don’t believe you’re a good person? Well, your involvement in the war is what it is, but you did everything in your power to make sure I was always safe, and that is what a good mother does. You will always be good to me, and I will always love you for that…” He kissed the top of her forehead, gaining him a fresh round of new tears. “I love you, mother, and that fact has also never ceased to be true. I’m not going anywhere, and you can count on that.” They embraced once more, and his mother eventually calmed.

Draco looked up once he noticed the increasing tug on his energy, and summed that up tp Harry giving them their space to have their moment. He pulled away from his mother completely and was about to say they should get on with the dessert course already when suddenly, there was a sharp pain in his right arm. He screamed and fell to the floor while clutching his forearm in a reaction to the pain. 

Narcissa came over to kneel next to him with an extremely worried expression, “Draco, darling, your bleeding! What is going on!?” She conjured up some bandages and started working on Draco’s wound, but he pushed her away. 

“Call the Aurors, mother! Somebody has taken Harry.” And then his vision went black.


End file.
